He's there, or thereabout."
"That's the way with most longshoremen, Ida May," said Prudence,
sighing. "They make awful poor farmers if they are good seamen.
Can't seem to combine the two trades."
"I cal'late that's so," agreed Cap'n Ira, his eyes twinkling.
"They'd ought to examine all the babies born on the Cape first off,
and them that ain't web-footed ought to be sent to agricultural
school 'stead of to the fishing. But that ain't why our potato
crop's a failure this year. And as far as I see, talking won't cure
many fish, either."
"Can't I help?" asked Ida May in her gentle voice. "You know, I've
come here to work. I don't expect to play lady."
"Well, I don't know. It ain't the kind of work you are used to."
"I've been used to work all my life, and all kinds of work,"
interposed the girl bravely.
"But you seem so eddicated," Prudence said.
"Getting an education did not keep me from learning how to use my
hands."
"Well, Sarah Honey was a right good housekeeper," granted Prudence.
At that the girl fell suddenly silent, as she did whenever Sarah
Honey's name was mentioned. And yet she knew she must get used to
such references to her presumed mother. Prudence frequently recalled
incidents which had happened when Sarah Honey visited the Ball house
before she was married.
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