"I mean that wan't my whole reason for tellin' Leander he'd better volunteer, better go up to Boston and enlist, same as he did.That was part, but 'twan't all."Captain Sam's eyes and mouth opened.He stared at the speaker in amazement.
"You told him to volunteer?" he repeated."You told him to go to Boston and-- YOU did? What on earth?"Jed's brush moved slowly down the wooden legs of his sailor man.
"Leander and I are pretty good friends," he explained."I like him and he--er--hum--I'm afraid that paint's kind of thick.Cal'late I'll have to thin it a little."Captain Sam condemned the paint to an eternal blister.
"Go on! go on!" he commanded."What about you and Leander? Finish her out.Can't you see you've got my head whirlin' like one of those windmills of yours? Finish her OUT!"Jed looked over his spectacles.
"Oh!" he said."Well, Leander's been comin' in here pretty frequent and we've talked about his affairs a good deal.He's always wanted to enlist ever since the war broke out.""He HAS?"
"Why, sartin.Just the same as you would, or--or I hope I would, if I was young and--and," with a wistful smile, "different, and likely to be any good to Uncle Sam.Yes, Leander's been anxious to go to war, but his dad was so set against it all and kept hollerin'
so about the boy's bein' needed in the store, that Leander didn't hardly know what to do.But then when he was drawn on the draft list he came in here and he and I had a long talk.'Twas yesterday, after you'd told me about bein' put on the Board, you know.I could see the trouble there'd be between you and Phineas and--and--well, you see, Sam, I just kind of wanted that boy to volunteer.I--I don't know why, but--" He looked up from his work and stared dreamily out of the window."I guess maybe 'twas because I've been wishin' so that I could go myself--or--do SOMETHIN' that was some good.So Leander and I talked and finally he said, 'Well, by George, I WILL go.' And--and--well, I guess that's all; he went, you see."The captain drew a long breath.
"He went," he repeated."And you knew he'd gone?""No, I didn't know, but I kind of guessed.""You guessed, and yet all the time I've been here you haven't said a word about it till this minute.""Well, I didn't think 'twas much use sayin' until I knew.""Well, my gracious king, Jed Winslow, you beat all my goin' to sea!
But you've helped Uncle Sam to a good soldier and you've helped me out of a nasty row.For my part I'm everlastin' obliged to you, Iam so."
Jed looked pleased but very much embarrassed.
"Sho, sho," he exclaimed, hastily, "'twan't anything.Oh, say,"hastily changing the subject, "I've got some money 'round here somewheres I thought maybe you'd take to the bank and deposit for me next time you went, if 'twan't too much trouble.""Trouble? Course 'tain't any trouble.Where is it?"Winslow put down his work and began to hunt.From one drawer of his work bench, amid nails, tools and huddles of papers, he produced a small bundle of banknotes; from another drawer another bundle.These, however, did not seem to satisfy him entirely.At last, after a good deal of very deliberate search, he unearthed more paper currency from the pocket of a dirty pair of overalls hanging on a nail, and emptied a heap of silver and coppers from a battered can on the shelf.Captain Hunniwell, muttering to himself, watched the collecting process.When it was completed, he asked:
"Is this all?"
"Eh? Yes, I guess 'tis.I can't seem to find any more just now.
Maybe another batch'll turn up later.If it does I'll keep it till next time."The captain, suppressing his emotions, hastily counted the money.
"Have you any idea how much there is here?" he asked.
"No, I don't know's I have.There's been quite consider'ble comin'
in last fortni't or so.Summer folks been payin' bills and one thing or 'nother.Might be forty or fifty dollars, I presume likely.""Forty or fifty! Nearer a hundred and fifty! And you keep it stuffed around in every junk hole from the roof to the cellar.
Wonder to me you don't light your pipe with it.I shouldn't wonder if you did.How many times have I told you to deposit your money every three days anyhow? How many times?"Mr.Winslow seemed to reflect.
"Don't know, Sam," he admitted."Good many, I will give in.But--but, you see, Sam, if--if I take it to the bank I'm liable to forget I've got it.Long's it's round here somewheres I--why, Iknow where 'tis and--and it's handy.See, don't you?"The captain shook his head.
"Jed Winslow," he declared, "as I said to you just now you beat all my goin' to sea.I can't make you out.When I see how you act with money and business, and how you let folks take advantage of you, then I think you're a plain dum fool.And yet when you bob up and do somethin' like gettin' Leander Babbitt to volunteer and gettin' me out of that row with his father, then--well, then, I'm ready to swear you're as wise as King Solomon ever was.You're a puzzle to me, Jed.What are you, anyway--the dum fool or King Solomon?"Jed looked meditatively over his spectacles.The slow smile twitched the corners of his lips.
"Well, Sam," he drawled, "if you put it to vote at town meetin' Ical'late the majority'd be all one way.But, I don't know"--; he paused, and then added, "I don't know, Sam, but it's just as well as 'tis.A King Solomon down here in Orham would be an awful lonesome cuss."
