"Yet," grumbled the old man, "that dratted Queen of Sheby is too
much for Prudence. You see yourself only yesterday how she is like
to come to her death because of the mare."
"I know that you should have somebody living with you, Cap'n Ira,"
urged Tunis. "But what does _this_ mean?"
"I--I can't scurcely tell you, Tunis. I swan! I was goin' to murder
the old critter."
"What do you mean?" gasped Tunis in apparent horror. "Not Aunt
Prue?"
"What's the matter with you?" snapped Cap'n Ira. "I mean that old
mare. I was going to murder her in cold blood, only the sand slide
wrecked my plans."
"If you had killed her, Aunt Prue would have had hard work to
forgive you. Come on now. I'll lead Queenie up to our barn. Let her
stay there for a spell. I tell you, Cap'n Ira, you and Aunt Prue
must have somebody to live with you."
"Who?"
"Get a girl from the port."
"Huh! One o' them Portygees? They're as dirty and useless in the
kitchen as their men folks are aboard ship."
"Oh, they are not all like that!" objected the captain of the
_Seamew_. "I've got a good crew of 'em aboard my schooner."
"You think so. Wait till you get in a jam. And the men ain't so bad
as the gals.
Pages:
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59