"As I was sayin'," pursued Cap'n Abe reflectively, "Cap'n Amazon went up country with a Dutchman--a trader, I b'lieve he said the man was--and they got into a part where the orang-outangs was plentiful." "Jest as thick as sandpipers along The Beaches, I shouldn't wonder," put in Cap'n Joab, at last tempted beyond his strength. "No; nor like mackerel when ye get a full seine-haul," responded the storekeeper, unruffled, "but thicker'n you'd want sand fleas to be if the fleas measured up to the size of orang-outangs." Lawford Tapp burst into open laughter. "They can't catch you, can they, Cap'n Abe?" he said. "If that brother of yours has gone through one-half the perils by land and sea I've heard you tell about, he's beat out most sailors from old Noah down to Admiral Dewey." Cap'n Abe's brows came together in pronounced disapproval. "Young man," he said, "if Cap'n Am'zon was here now ye wouldn't darst cast any aspersions on his word. He ain't the man to stand for't." "Well, I'd like to see Cap'n Amazon," Lawford said lightly, "if only for the sake of asking him a question or two." "You'll likely get your wish," returned the storekeeper tartly. "What d'ye mean?" drawled Milt Baker, who always bobbed up serenely. "Ye don't say Cap'n Am'zon's likely to show up here at Cardhaven after all these years?" There was barely a second's hesitation on Mr. Silt's part. Then he said: "That's exactly what I mean. I got a--ahem!--a letter from Cap'n Am'zon only lately." "And he's comin' to see ye?" gasped Cap'n Joab, turning from the door to stare like the others at the storekeeper. "Yes," the latter confessed. "And he's likely to stay quite a spell when he does come. Says suthin' 'bout settlin' down. He's gettin' along in years like the rest of us. Mebbe I'll let him keep store for me this summer whilst I take a vacation," added Cap'n Abe more briskly, "like I been wantin' to do for a long spell back." "You took a vacation of a week or more about--was it ten year ago?" demanded Cap'n Joab. "I looked after the place for ye then." "Ahem! I mean a real vacation," Cap'n Abe declared, still staring at the fishfly now feebly butting its head against the pane. "That week was when I went to the--'hem--buryin' of my a'nt, Joab. I'll go this time mebbe for two-three months. Take a v'y'ge somewhere, I've always wanted to." "Land sakes!" exploded Cap'n Joab. "I know ye been talkin' 'bout cruisin' around--to see your folks, or the like--for the longest spell. But I didn't s'pose ye re'lly meant it. And your brother comin', too! Well!" "If he can tell of his adventures as well as you relate them," laughed Lawford, "Cap'n Amazon should be an addition to the Cardhaven social whirl."