Where"s Hannah Poundberry?"
"She"s gone to her cousin"s to stay all night. I suppose I ought to send for her, but I--"
"No, no, you hadn"t. Might"s well send for a poll parrot, the critter would be just as much good and talk less. I"ll look out for things, me and the doctor. Where"s--where"s Nat?"
"He came in just after I sent the boy for the doctor. He"s in there with--with him," indicating the bedroom. "Poor Nat!"
Keziah looked longingly toward the door.
"Yes," she said slowly. "Poor fellow, it"s an awful shock to him. He and his father are--But there! you lay down on that lounge."
"I can"t lie down. I can"t do anything but think. Oh, what a dreadful day this has been! And I thought it was going to be such a happy one!"
"Yes, yes, deary, I know."
Grace raised her head.
"You know?" she repeated, looking up into the housekeeper"s face.
"I mean I know it"s been a dreadful day," explained Keziah quickly.
"Yes, indeed it has," with a sigh. "But there! our moanin" over it don"t cheer it up any. Will you lay down? No? Well, then, SET down, there"s a good girl."
Grace, protesting that she couldn"t sit down, she couldn"t leave uncle, and there were so many things to do, was at last persuaded by Keziah and the doctor to rest for a few moments in the big rocker. Then Mrs. Coffin went into the kitchen to prepare the tea. As she went, she beckoned to Dr. Parker, who joined her a moment later.
"Well, doctor?" she asked anxiously.
The stout, gray-haired old physician--he had practiced in Trumet for nearly thirty years--shook his head.
"Not a single chance," he whispered. "He may possibly live till morning, but I doubt if he lasts an hour. It"s his heart. I"ve expected it at any time. Ever since he had that shock, I"ve been at him to take things easy; but you might as well talk to a graven image. That Come-Outer foolishness is what really killed him, though just what brought on this attack I can"t make out. Grace says she found him lying on the floor by the sofa. He was unconscious then. I"m rather worried about her. She was very near to fainting when I got here."
"No wonder. All alone in this ark of a house and n.o.body to help or to send. Lucky she found that Ike Higgins. Say, I wonder if the young one"s around here now? If he is, he must stand at the gate and scare off Come-Outers. The whole chapel, mates, crew, and cabin boy, "ll be down here soon"s meetin"s over to see what kept Eben. And they mustn"t get in."
"I should say not. I"ll hunt up Ike. If a Come-Outer gets into this house to-night I"ll eat him, that"s all."
"Some of "em would give you dyspepsy, I guess. Yes, Grace, I"ll be there in a jiffy."
The doctor left the house to find young Higgins and post him at the gate. The boy, who had been listening under the window, was proud of his new responsibility.
"I"ll fix "em, doctor," he declared. "I only hope old Zeke Ba.s.sett comes. He lammed me with a horsewhip t"other day, "cause I was ridin"
behind his ox cart. If he tried to git by me, I"ll bounce a rock off"n his Sunday hat."
"Doctor," whispered Keziah from the kitchen window. "Doctor, come quick.
Nat wants you."
Captain Nat was standing at the door of the bedroom. His face was drawn and he had seemingly grown years older since noon.
"He"s come to himself, doc," he whispered. "He don"t remember how it happened or anything. And he wants us all. Why! why, Keziah! are you here?"
"Yes, Nat. I"ve been here a little while."
He looked at her steadily and his eyes brightened just a trifle.
"Did you come to see me?" he asked. "Was it about what I said this--"
"No, no, Nat; no. I heard the news and that Grace was alone; so I come right down."
He nodded wearily.
"You can come in, too," he said. "I know dad likes you and I guess--Wait a minute; I"ll ask him." He stepped back into the bedroom. "Yes," he nodded, returning, "you come, too. He wants you."
The little room, Captain Eben"s own, was more like a skipper"s cabin than a chamber on land. A narrow, single bed, a plain washstand, a battered, painted bureau and a single chair--these made up the list of furniture. Two pictures, both of schooners under full sail, hung on the walls. Beside them hung a ship"s barometer, a s.e.xtant, and a clock that struck the "bells," instead of the hours as the landsman understands them. In the corner stood the captain"s big boots and his oilskins hung above them. His Sunday cane was there also. And on the bureau was a worn, heavy Bible.
Dr. Parker brushed by the others and bent over the bed.
"Well, cap"n," he said cheerily, "how"s she headed? How are you feeling now?"
The old face on the pillow smiled feebly.
"She"s headed for home, I guess, doc," said Captain Eben. "Bound for home, and the harbor light broad abeam, I cal"late."
"Oh, no! you"ll make a good many voyages yet."
"Not in this hulk, I won"t, doctor. I hope I"ll have a new command pretty soon. I"m trustin" in my owners and I guess they"ll do the fair thing by me. Halloo, Gracie, girl! Well, your old uncle"s on his beam ends, ain"t he?"
Grace glanced fearfully at his face. When he spoke her name she shrank back, as if she feared what he might say. But he only smiled as, with the tears streaming down her face, she bent over and kissed him.
"There! there!" he protested. "You mustn"t cry. What are you cryin"
about me for? We know, you and me, who"s been lookin" out for us and keepin" us on the course all these years. We ain"t got anything to cry for. You just keep on bein" a "good girl, Gracie, and goin" to the right church and--I s"pose Ezekiel"ll lead in meetin" now," he added. "I do wish he was a stronger man."
The doctor, whose fingers had been upon the old man"s wrist, looked up at Nat significantly.
"There, dad," said the latter, "don"t you worry about Zeke Ba.s.sett, nor anything else. You just lay in dry dock and let Parker here overhaul your runnin" riggin" and get you fit for sea. That"s what you"ve got to do."
"I"m fit and ready for the sea I"m goin" to sail," was the answer. His eyes wandered from his son to Mrs. Coffin. For an instant he seemed puzzled. Then he said:
""Evenin", Keziah. I don"t know why you"re here, but--"
"I heard that Grace was alone and that you was sick, Eben. So I come right down, to help if I could."
"Thank ye. You"re a good-hearted woman, Keziah, even though you ain"t seen the true light yet. And you"re housekeeper for that hired priest--a--a--" He paused, and a troubled look came over his face.
"What is it, dad?" asked Nat.
"I--I--Where"s Gracie? She"s here, ain"t she?"
"Yes, uncle, I"m here. Here I am," said the girl. His fingers groped for her hand and seized it.
"Yes, yes, you"re here," murmured Captain Eben. "I--I--for a minute or so, I--I had an awful dream about you, Gracie. I dreamed--Never mind.
Doc, answer me this now, true and honest, man to man: Can you keep me here for just a little spell longer? Can you? Try! Ten minutes, say. Can you?"