第30章 IN WHICH OLD FRIENDS MEET(5)

So they kept her as she was.And it got to be night and they knew they'd ought to be 'most onto the edge of the flats off here,if their reck'nin'was nigh right.They hove the lead and got five fathom.No flats about that.

Zach was for anchorin'again.'What do you think,Nat?'asks 'Bije.

'Anchor,of course,if you want to,'Nat says.You're runnin this craft.I'm only passenger.'But what do you THINK?'whines Zach.'Can't you tell us what you do think?'

'Well,if 'twas me,I wouldn't anchor till I had to.Prob'ly 'twill fair off to-morrow,but if it shouldn't,we might have to lay out here all day.Anyhow,we'd have to wait for a full tide.'

'I'm afraid we're off the course,'says 'Bije,else we'd been acrost the bar by this time.'

'Well,'Nat tells him,'if we are off the course and too far inshore,we would have made the bar--the Bayport bar--if not the Trumet one.And if we're off the course and too far out,we'd ought to have deeper water than five fathom,hadn't we?'Course I'm not sure,but--What's that,lands-man?'

'Three and a half,sir,'says the feller with the lead.That showed they was edgin'in somewheres.Nat he sniffed,for all the world like a dog catchin'a scent,so 'Bije declares.

'I can smell home,'he says.

Three fathom the lead give 'em,then two and a half,then a scant two.They was drawin'six feet.Zach couldn't stand it.

'I'm goin'to anchor,'he squeals,frantic.'I believe we're plumb over to Wellmouth and drivin'right onto Horsefoot Shoal.'

'It's either that or the bar,'chimes in 'Bije.'And whichever 'tis,we can't anchor in the middle of it.'

'But what'll we do?'shouts Zach.'Can't nobody say somethin'to DO?'

'Tell you I smell home,'says Nat,calm and chipper,'and I'd know that smell if I met it in Jericho.Ha!there she deepens again.

That was the bar and we're over it.'

The wind had gone down to a stiff sailin'breeze,and the old Debby S.slapped along afore it.Sometimes there was twelve foot under her keel and sometimes eight or nine.Once 'twas only seven and a half.Zach and 'Bije both looked at each other,but Nat only smiled.

'Oh,you can laugh!'hollers Zach.Tain't your vessel you're runnin'into danger.YOU aint paid out your good money--'

Nat never answered;but he stopped smilin'.

And all to once the water deepened.Hammond swung her up into the wind.

'NOW you can anchor,'says he.

'And 'bout time,too,I guess,'says 'Bije.'I cal'late the skipper's right.This IS Horsefoot and we're right between the shoals.Yes,sir,and I hear breakers.Lively there!'

They hove over the mudhook and dropped the sails.Nat shook his head.

'Breakers or not,'says he,'I tell you I've smelt home for the last half hour.Now,by the jumpin'Moses,I can TASTE it!'

And inside of a couple of shakes come the rain.It poured for a while and then the fog cleared.Right acrost their bows was Trumet,with the town clock strikin'ten.Over the flat place between the hills they could see the light on the ocean side.And they was anchored right in the deep hole inside the breakwater,as sure as I'm knee high to a marlin spike!

'Bije just stared at Hammond with his mouth open.

'Nat,'says he,'you're a seaman,if I do say it.I thought I was a pretty good bay pilot,but I can't steer a vessel without a compass through a night as black as Pharaoh's Egypt,and in a thick fog besides,and land her square on top of her moorin's.If my hat wa'n't sloshin'around thirty mile astern,I snum if I wouldn't take it off to you this minute!'

'Nat,'stammers Zach,'I must say I--'

Nat snapped him shut like a tobacco box.'You needn't,'says he.

'But I'll say this to you,Zach Foster.When I undertake to handle a vessel I handle her best I know how,and the fact that I don't own her makes no difference to me.You just put that down somewheres so you won't forget it.'

And this mornin',crowed Captain Zebedee,concluding his long yarn,after that,mind you,that lubber Zach Foster is around town tellin'folks that his schooner had been over the course so often she COULDN'T get lost.She found her way home herself.WHAT do you think of that?The two members of the parish committee left the parsonage soon after Captain Mayo had finished his story.Elkanah had listened with growing irritation and impatience.Zebedee lingered a moment behind his companions.

Don't you fret yourself about what happened last night,Mr.

Ellery,he whispered.It'll be all right.'Course nobody'd want you to keep up chummin'in with Come-Outers,but what you said to old Eben'll square you this time.So long.The minister shut the door behind his departing guests.Then he went out into the kitchen,whither the housekeeper had preceded him.He found her standing on the back step,looking across the fields.The wash bench was untenanted.

Hum!mused Ellery thoughtfully,that was a good story of Captain Mayo's.This man Hammond must be a fine chap.I should like to meet him.Keziah still looked away over the fields.She did not wish her employer to see her face--just then.

I thought you would meet him,she said.He was here a little while ago and I asked him to wait.I guess Zeb's yarn was too much for him;he doesn't like to be praised.So?Was he here?At the Regular parsonage?I'm surprised.He and I have known each other for a long while.Well,I'm sorry he's gone.I think I should like him.Keziah turned from the door.

I know you would,she said.