“An’ he’ve been robbin’ this harbor for forty year.” “Dear man!” Jehoshaphat exclaimed, in dull surprise. “Have he told you that?” “Told me!” cried Timothy. “No,” he added, with bitter restraint; “he’ve not.” Jehoshaphat was puzzled. “Then,” said he, “how come you t’ know?” “Why, they _says_ so.” Jehoshaphat’s reply was gently spoken, a compassionate rebuke. “An I was you, Timothy,” said he, “I wouldn’t be harsh in judgment. ’Tisn’t quite Christian.” “My God!” ejaculated the disgusted Timothy. After that they pulled in silence for a time. Jehoshaphat’s face was averted, and Timothy was aware of having, in a moment of impatience, not only committed a strategic indiscretion, but of having betrayed his innermost habit of profanity. The light grew and widened and yellowed; the cottages of Satan’s Trap took definite outline, the hills their ancient form, the sea its familiar aspect. Sea and sky and distant rock were wide awake and companionably smiling. The earth was blue and green and yellow, a glittering place. “Look you! Jehoshaphat,” Timothy demanded; “is you in debt?” “I is.” “An’ is you ever been out o’ debt?” “I isn’t.” “How come you t’ know?” “Why,” Jehoshaphat explained, “Mister Wull _told_ me so. An’ whatever,” he qualified, “father was in debt when he died, an’ Mister Wull told me I ought t’ pay. Father was _my_ father,” Jehoshaphat argued, “an’ I ’lowed I _would_ pay. For,” he concluded, “’twas right.” “Is he ever give you an account?” “Well, no—no, he haven’t. But it wouldn’t do no good, for I’ve no learnin’, an’ can’t read.” “No,” Timothy burst out, “an’ he isn’t give nobody no accounts.” “Well,” Jehoshaphat apologized, “he’ve a good deal on his mind, lookin’ out for the wants of us folk. He’ve a _wonderful_ lot o’ brain labor. He’ve all them letters t’ write t’ St. John’s, an’ he’ve got a power of ’rithmetic t’ do, an’ he’ve got the writin’ in them big books t’ trouble un, an’—” Timothy sneered. “Ah, well,” sighed Jehoshaphat, “an I was you, Timothy, I wouldn’t be harsh in judgment.” Timothy laughed uproariously. “Not harsh,” Jehoshaphat repeated, quietly—“not in judgment.”