To this assembled group of his townsfolk, the squire, accompanied now by his hopeful son, Harry, was holding forth, as the party of boys entered the door.
“Here they be now, squire,” remarked Dave Benson. “Hello, boys! Ketchin’ any lobsters lately?”
“Yes, here they are, and here they shall pay!” cried the squire, turning upon them.
Jack Harvey advanced toward young Brackett.
“Do you dare say we ran you down?” he inquired, angrily.
“Yes, you did,” answered young Brackett, sullenly, and sidling up close to his father.
“Why, of course they did!” exclaimed the squire. “And it won’t do them any good—”
But at this point his remarks were interrupted.
A strongly built, heavy-shouldered man entered the store, gave a loud, good-natured “Haw! Haw!” for no apparent reason except that his natural good spirits prompted him to, and bade everybody good evening in a voice that could be heard a quarter of a mile away.
“Why, hello, Cap’n Sam,” said Dave Benson, hailing him as he entered the doorway. “Haven’t seen you much lately.”