“Never you care, Moses,” said I. “Looks or no looks, you’ll find the Shining Light stand by when she puts to sea.”
“I’ll not be aboard,” says he.
“You’re not so sure about that!” quoth I.
“I wouldn’t ship,” he drawled. “I’d never put t’ sea on she: for mother,” he added, “wouldn’t like t’ run the risk.”
“You dwell too much upon your mother,” said I.
“She’s all I got in the way o’ women,” he answered. “All I got, Dannie––yet.”
“But when you gets a wife––”
“Oh,” he interrupted, “Mrs. Moses Shoos won’t mind mother!”
“Still an’ all,” I gravely warned him, “’tis a foolish thing t’ do.”