Billy demurred vehemently as Captain Ed said he had to use the cable so the Captain craftily hinted: “You ain’t been over to Rosemary after them porcupines, yet? I s’pose your Uncle Tom’s orchard is near about spoiled by now!”
“Gee! That’s so! I ought to go after them at once!”
“I have to go over to the Cove for supplies—Mose is forever wantin’ a yeast-cake, it seems! You might go with me and stay all night at your Uncle Tom’s and come back to-morrow with a fine quill-pig, eh?” continued the subtle Captain.
Mose stood by watching the boys swing and he heard the conversation. He grinned for he knew the Captain’s tactics well. But he took a certain pride in the looks of his Islanders.
“Chile, yo’ sure mus’ change dem old duds ef yo’ goin’ to mek a visit! Ah ain’t goin’ t’ low you’ Maw’s son t’ look lak a sure-’nough tramp! Yo’ ha’r needs trimmin’, too!”
“Oh pshaw, Mose, what difference does it make? It will be night and I’m going huntin’ so no one will see me!” argued Billy.
“Hush yo’ complain’ now, Bill! Come in an’ min’ yo gardeen!” laughed Mose, encouragingly.
“Go on, Billy, you know he’s right! Rosemary is not a camp and who knows who’ll be visiting there? You’d disgrace us and your relations if you were seen in the duds that came out of the ‘Ark’!” declared Fred.
Billy realised he was in the minority on this vote so he submitted to Mose’s barbering but with much grumbling.
“Such a lot of fussing for a hunting trip!” he observed, but the hair-cutter paid no attention to the complaint just then as he had his mind full of other plans.