第77章 IN WHICH EBENEZER CAPEN IS SURPRISED(2)

'Somebody had to do it,'says he.I take off my hat to that young fellow.Captain Zeb Mayo went about cheering for his parson.Mrs.Mayo cooked delicacies to be pushed under the ropes for the minister's consumption.The parish committee,at a special session,voted an increase of salary and ordered a weekly service of prayer for the safe delivery of their young leader from danger.Even Captain Elkanah did not try to oppose the general opinion;although Icannot but feel,he said,that Mr.Ellery's course was rash and that he should have considered us and our interest in his welfare before--Dum it all!roared Captain Zeb,jumping to his feet and interrupting,he didn't consider himself,did he?and ain't he as important TO himself as you,Elkanah Daniels,or anybody else in this meetin'house?Bah!don't let's have no more talk like that or I'll say somethin'that won't be fit to put in the minutes.Even at Come-Outers'meeting,when Ezekiel Bassett hinted at a just punishment fallin'on the head of the leader of the Pharisees,Thoph Black rose and defended Ellery.

Keziah Coffin was,perhaps,the one person most disturbed by her parson's heroism.She would have gone to the shanty immediately had not Dr.Parker prevented.Even as it was,she did go as far as the ropes,but there she was warded off by Ebenezer until Ellery came running out and bade her come no nearer.

But you shan't stay here,Mr.Ellery,vowed Keziah.Or,if you do,I'll stay,too.I ain't afraid of smallpox.I am,confessed the minister,and I'm not going to let anyone Icare for expose themselves to it unnecessarily.If you try to come in here I shall--he smiled--well,Capen and I will put you off the premises by force.There!Keziah smiled,too,in spite of herself.Maybe you'd have your hands full,she said.O John,what in the world made you do this thing?It's dreadful.I shan't sleep a wink,thinkin'of you.Ijust must come here and help.

No,you mustn't.You can come as far as the--the dead line once in a while,if Captain Mayo will drive you over,but that's all.

I'm all right.Don't worry about me.I'm feeling tiptop and I'm not going to be sick.Now go home and make me some of that--some of those puddings of yours.We can use them to advantage,can't we,Capen?Bet yer!replied Ebenezer with enthusiasm.Keziah,after more expostulation,went back to the parsonage,where the puddings were made and seasoned with tears and fervent prayers.She wrote to Grace and told her the news of the San Jose,but she said nothing of the minister's part in it.Poor thing!sighed Keziah,she's bearin'enough already.Her back ain't as strong as mine,maybe,and mine's most crackin'.Well,let it crack for good and all;Idon't know but that's the easiest way out.

The sick sailor grew no better.Days and nights passed and he raved and moaned or lay in a stupor.Ebenezer acted as day nurse while Ellery slept,and,at night,the minister,being younger,went on watch.The doctor came frequently,but said there was no hope.A question of time only,and a short time,he said.

Capen occupied his mind with speculations concerning the patient.

Do you know,parson,he said,seem's if I'd seen the feller somewheres afore.'Course I never have,but when I used to go whalin'v'yages I cruised from one end of creation to t'other,pretty nigh,and I MIGHT have met him.However,his own folks wouldn't know him now,would they?so I cal'late I'm just gettin'

foolish in my old age.Said his name's Murphy,them ha'f-breeds did,didn't they?I know better'n that.How do you know?asked Ellery,idly listening.

'Cause when he's floppin'round on the bed,out of his head,he sings out all kinds of stuff.A good deal of it's plain cussin',but there's times when he talks respectable and once I heard him say 'darn'and another time 'I cal'late.'Now no Irishman says THAT.That's Yankee,that is.Well,he ought to know his own name.

Prob'ly he does--or used to--but 'most likely he don't want nobody else to know it.That's why he said 'twas Murphy and,bein'as he DID say it,I know 'tain't it.See my argument,don't you,Mr.

Ellery?

Yes,I guess so.

Um--hm!Why,land sakes,names don't mean nothin'with seafarin'

men.I've seen the time when I had more names--Humph!Looks kind of squally off to the east'ard,don't it?That night the sick man was much worse.His ravings were incessant.The minister,sitting in his chair in the living room,by the cook stove,could hear the steady stream of shouts,oaths,and muttered fragments of dialogue with imaginary persons.

Sympathy for the sufferer he felt,of course,and yet he,as well as Dr.Parker and old Capen,had heard enough to realize that the world would be none the worse for losing this particular specimen of humanity.The fellow had undoubtedly lived a hard life,among the roughest of companions afloat and ashore.Even Ebenezer,who by his own confession,was far from being a saint,exclaimed disgustedly at the close of a day's watching by the sick bed:

Phew!I feel's if I'd been visiting state's prison.Let me set out doors a spell and listen to the surf.It's clean,anyhow,and that critter's talk makes me want to give my brains a bath.The wooden clock,loaned by Mrs.Parker,the doctor's wife,ticked steadily,although a half hour slow.Ellery,glancing at it to see if the time had come for giving medicine,suddenly noticed how loud its ticking sounded.Wondering at this,he was aware there was no other sound in the house.He rose and looked in at the door of the adjoining room.The patient had ceased to rave and was lying quiet on the bed.

The minister tiptoed over to look at him.And,as he did so,the man opened his eyes.

Halloo!he said faintly.Who are you?

Ellery,startled,made no answer.