CHAPTER XIX
THE CONQUEST OF MRS. RANCK.
I regret to say that my father’s welcome was not especially cordial. Nevertheless, he was for some reason evidently pleased by the sudden appearance of his son and his brother-in-law. Releasing himself gently from my clinging embrace, he said, in his deep, grave voice:
“Come in and sit down. I never thought to see you again, Sam; and, much less you, Naboth Perkins. But now that you’re here, we’ll have a few mutual explanations.”
Mrs. Ranck, a few paces behind him, was bristling like a frightened cat.
“If them thieves an’ scoundrels enters this house, I’ll go out!” she fairly screamed, in her shrill voice.
“Be quiet!” commanded the Captain, sternly. “This is my house; and, although it’s all that my friends have left to me,” he added, bitterly, “I’m still the master under my own roof. Sit down, Perkins, sit down, Sam, my lad.”
A sudden tenderness that crept into the last words seemed to rouse the woman to fury.
“That’s the boy that robbed you!” she cried, pointing at me a trembling, bony finger. “That’s the boy that skinned the house of all your valeybles and treasures as soon as he thought you was dead, and couldn’t come back to punish him! An’ stole all my savins’ too; and swore he’d be a pirate and murder and steal all his life; an’ that the man,” turning fiercely upon my horrified uncle, “as aided an’ abetted him in his wickedness, an’ threatened to kill me if I interfered with Sam’s carryin’ away of your property! Cap’n Steele, how dare you harbor sich varmints? Drive ’em out, this instant, or I’ll go myself. This house can’t hold Sam Steele, the robber, and me at the same time!”
Captain Steele looked toward me gravely as I stood regarding the woman with unmistakable amazement. Then he turned to Naboth Perkins, to find the little man doubled up in his chair and shaking with silent laughter. A moment later he began to gasp and choke and cough, until, just as he appeared to be on the verge of convulsions, he suddenly straightened up and wiped the tears from his eyes.
“Cap’n Steele, sir,” he said, “this is the best show I ever had a reserved seat at, an’ the admission’s free gratis for nothin’! Why, you measly old she-tiger,” turning with stern abruptness to Mrs. Ranck, “did you ever think, fer a minute, that such a lyin’ tale as you’ve trumped up would deceive grown men?”