“Sorry to disturb you, Cap'n Lote,” he said. “Yes, I be, yes, sir. But I judged maybe 'twas somethin' important about the lumber for his house and he seemed anxious to see you, so I took the risk and knocked. Um-hm—yes, yes, yes.”
Captain Zelotes looked at the card. Then he adjusted his spectacles and looked again.
“Humph!” he grunted. “Humph! . . . We-ell, Labe, I guess likely you might show him in here. Wait just a minute before you do it, though. I'll open the door when I want him to come.”
“All right, Cap'n Lote. Yes, yes,” observed Mr. Keeler and departed. The captain looked thoughtfully at the card.
“Al,” he said, after a moment's reflection, “we'll have to cut this talk of ours short for a little spell. You go back to your desk and wait there until I call you. Hold on,” as his grandson moved toward the door of the outer office. “Don't go that way. Go out through the side door into the yard and come in the front way. There's—er—there's a man waitin' to see me, and—er—perhaps he'd better not see you first.”
Albert stared at him uncomprehendingly.
“Better not see ME?” he repeated. “Why shouldn't he see me?”
Captain Zelotes handed the card to Albert.
“Better let me talk with him first, Al,” he said. “You can have your chance later on.”
The card bore the name of Mr. Fletcher Story Fosdick.