"Well," Burtwell said, "I can"t afford to wait forever for the money I had to advance on that motor-boat transaction. I tell you there is a limit to my patience. But there may be a way for you to help me-and yourself-to some of the wherewithal."
The lightkeeper took his packages then and pa.s.sed the couple on the store porch. He did not glance at Degger, nor did he wait for the fellow to join him at the dock. He got under way in the _Marybird_ and let the boarder exercise his legs on the sh.e.l.l road if he wanted to get back to the Light for supper.
"Something"s got to be done," ruminated Tobias, tacking for the cove, in which he moored the sloop hard by the lighthouse. "This here feller may be able to rush Lorny an" tie her up to some contract "fore she knows what he"s about. He seems a"mighty sure of himself.
"I cal"late," pursued the lightkeeper, "that as the angels fear to tread on this matrimonial path-as Heppy says-it"s up to me to do so. I ain"t going to see little Lorny get stung in no marriage game. Nor yet I don"t mean Ralph shall lose all holts. Something"s got to be done."
It seemed as though circ.u.mstances played into his hands. Tobias was conceited enough perhaps to believe that he really was foredoomed to act the part of matchmaker. At any rate, there was Lorna on the sh.o.r.e when the _Marybird_ drifted in to her moorings, the site of which was marked by a nail keg.
Tobias picked up the bight of the anchor cable and looped it upon a becket, taking a turn or two for safety. Then he drew up the dory, put aboard his purchases, locked the _Marybird"s_ cabin, and sculled ash.o.r.e.
Lorna smiled upon him.
"Nice day, Lorny."
"So it is, Mr. Ba.s.sett. Didn"t Mr. Degger come home with you?"
"Oh, sugar! I forgot all about him, didn"t I? Did you want to see him partic"lar, Lorny?"
"Just wanted somebody to play with," she confessed.
"Wal! wal! you air to be pitied," he said. "Won"t Ralph do?"
She made him a little face, but flushed too.
"Ralph Endicott is no fun any more. He"s as grouchy as a sore-headed bear."
"I want to know!"
"Yes. He"s going away soon, anyway, I understand. And I"m glad of it,"
the girl declared.
"Oh, sugar! I suppose that"s so," reflected Tobias, filling his pipe.
"Wal, a feller can"t always appear chirpy an" lively when things is going wrong with him."
She flashed him a look of suspicion. "What do you mean by that, Tobias Ba.s.sett?"
"Er-wal, like enough he don"t feel any too happy. I give it as my opinion that none of the Endicotts do, right now. Wal!"
He sighed reflectively, and slowly pulled on his pipe to get it well alight. Lorna continued to stare at him, a little puzzled frown marring her brow.
"You are the most mysterious person," she said. "Tell me straight out what you mean."
"Oh, sugar! I don"t guess I need to tell you what Ralph"s trouble is."
She flushed more deeply then, and her eyes began to spark. "If you are hinting that I have anything to do with making Ralph Endicott unhappy--"
"Not a-tall! Not a-tall!" the lightkeeper hastened to say. "But I reckoned you"d know full as much about the Endicott"s private affairs as I do."
"Mr. Ba.s.sett! what _is_ it?"
"Why, ain"t you even heard about it?" exclaimed the old fellow most innocently. "Didn"t n.o.body tell you how the Endicotts have lost purt"
near all their money? Oh, sugar! ain"t you heard?"
"Never!"
"Wal, they do say Henry Endicott has jest about wrecked the family fortune putterin" with them inventions of his. "Tain"t to be wondered at. Might have been expected. Foolin" away both time and money.
Yessir!"
Each of these phrases was emitted between puffs of tobacco smoke which served as a screen for the expression on the lightkeeper"s countenance.
"Lost their money? The Endicotts? You can"t mean it!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Lorna.
"Does seem too bad," went on Tobias. ""Twarn"t Ralph"s fault, of course. But he feels it, I cal"late, as bad as any of "em. Like enough he"s goin" away from here, like you say, to get him a job of work. I shouldn"t wonder," sighed the guileful Tobias.
"Why, Mr. Ba.s.sett, this is _awful_!" There was real sympathy in Lorna"s shocked tone.
"I cal"late that if your Aunt Ida did have a liking for Professor Endicott years ago she was wise to turn him down. Yes"m. She likely foresaw the snarl that was comin" through Henry"s puttering with these inventions. Your Aunt Ida is a wise woman, Lorny."
"Why, Mr. Ba.s.sett!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Lorna, some displeasure in both her tone and look, "Aunt Ida is not like that. She is the least mercenary person I know."
"Wal, p"r"aps. I don"t know. But she"ll mebbe be just as well satisfied now that you did turn Ralph down. Of course, a feller that"s got to work for his livin"-has his own way to make in the world-wouldn"t do for you."
"I don"t know what you mean, Mr. Ba.s.sett," cried the girl, her head high, her cheeks red, and already tight-lipped with wrath. "You have no right to say that."
"Oh, sugar! I warn"t meaning nothing out the way," said Tobias easily.
"It"s a good thing you and Ralphie got over your foolishness "bout each other. Now, ain"t it so?"
"You have no right-I won"t listen-oh, Tobias Ba.s.sett! Is it really so that the Endicotts are poor? Has Ralph really got to go to work? Why!
he never hinted at such a thing when he told me he was going away."
"Guess you ain"t been showing him much sympathy, have ye?" rejoined the callous Tobias. "But now see here!" His manner changed suddenly.
"Don"t you go and run off to him and say that I told you all this. I cal"late the Endicotts wouldn"t be likely to want all the world and d.i.c.k"s hat band to know they"d lost their money. Ralph"s proud-you know he is."
"Oh, that is true," agreed Lorna, displaying much disturbance of mind.
"Ralph is the proudest fellow! It"s in the Endicott blood. I suppose they would starve before they would tell their dearest friends of the straits they are in."
"I cal"late," agreed the quite unruffled lightkeeper.
"Perhaps that is what has made Ralph so grouchy."
"I shouldn"t wonder a mite."
"I-I really can"t think what to do," murmured Lorna.
"Oh, sugar! you can"t do anything, child. Ralph wouldn"t let you help him. He wouldn"t borrow money of a girl. Why, he wouldn"t let me lend him any," and the lightkeeper nodded his head ponderously.
It was plain that what he had said had made its impression on Lorna Nicholet"s mind. She wandered away, deep in thought and forgetting all about Conny Degger.
"I cal"late," muttered Tobias, "I have started something at last. Now, let "er simmer!"