Yet he seemed perky enough last night at the sociable. I wonder
what's got into him."
"I'd like to get something out of him," growled Tunis, to whom the
remark was addressed.
"What's that?"
"Some work, for one thing," said the captain of the _Seamew_. "He's
as lazy a fellow as I ever saw. And his tongue's too long."
"Trouble is," Cap'n Ira rejoined, "these trips you take in the
schooner are too short to give you any chance to lick your crew into
shape. They get back home too often. Too much shore leave, if ye ask
me."
"I'd lose Mason Chapin if the _Seamew_ made longer voyages. And I
have lost one of the hands already--Tony."
"I swan! What's the matter with him?"
"His mother says Tony is scared to sail again with the _Seamew_.
Some Portygee foolishness."
"I told you them Portygees warn't worth the grease they sop their
bread in," declared Cap'n Ira.
The two on the rear seat of the carryall paid no attention to this
conversation.
"I'm real pleased," said the old woman, "that you are going to
dinner with Lucretia Latham, Ida May. Your mother thought a sight of
her, and 'Cretia did of Sarah Honey, too. Sarah was one of the few
who seemed to understand Lucretia.
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