Warrie don't get any of this by-play at all. Soon as he's through shootin' orders to the waiter, he turns to Valentina. "Well, well!" says he enthusiastic. "This is a treat. Did you come up by train or steamer?"
"Schooner," says Valentina. "You know all that cypress you saw 'em yankin' out of the swamp back of the Point? Well, suh, it's lumber now, every stick. Sold, too. That's what me and pop came up for."
"You don't say!" says Warrie. "How much?"
"Near nine thousand," says she.
"Whe-e-e-ew!" says Warrie. "Now I suppose you'll be moving into Tampa."
"No," says Valentina; "we're fixin' to buy another swamp."
Then they both laughed, like it was some huge joke.
"But how is everyone?" goes on Warrie. "Uncle Jake still going out after stone-crabs?"
"Every mornin'," says Valentina. "And they're runnin' fine this winter, too. He put near a bushel on the schooner before we sailed. We had 'em all the way up."
"M-m-m-m!" says Warrie, smackin' his lips. "Remember the ones we roasted that day?"