The Light Keepers: A Story of the United States Light-house ServiceOtis, James
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The Light Keepers: A Story of the United States Light-house Service
Otis, James
Lighthouse keepers -- Juvenile fiction
"Do you have to make new things over, sir?"
"Yes, Sonny, when they're sich slop-shop things as these. A stitch here
an' there now will save a world of trouble later, an' I'm lookin' to the
future. Where are you to keep all this stuff?"
Sidney repeated the substance of the conversation he had so lately had
with Captain Eph regarding sleeping quarters, and without awaiting
orders from the keeper, Uncle Zenas set about making preparations at
once.
"I reckon you're both right about the bed, an' I know jest how we'll fix
the thing to suit you; there's plenty of time before I begin to get
supper."
"But perhaps Captain Eph would rather hear about it first," Sidney said
timidly, as the cook began to ascend the staircase, and the old man
halted suddenly as he cried:
"Why, Sonny? What does he know 'bout sich things? He's helpless as a
baby when it comes to the livin' part of keepin' a light-house, an' the
more he'd say 'bout it the less we'd know what ought'er be done. I'll
'tend to this part of the business myself!"
Then the old man went up-stairs, and a moment later, when Captain Eph
entered the kitchen, his first question was as to the cook's
whereabouts.
Sidney explained how it had happened that he spoke to Uncle Zenas
regarding the bed, and expressed sorrow because possibly he had
interfered with some plan which the keeper might have had in mind.
"Not a bit of it, Sonny," Captain Eph cried with a hearty laugh. "You've
saved me a world of trouble, perhaps, for if I'd said anything of the
kind to Uncle Zenas he'd been certain to want it this way or that, an'
we'd had a heap of tongue-waggin' before gettin' the matter settled. Now
he'll go ahead in his own way, as he thinks, an' the job is done."
Half an hour later Uncle Zenas came into the kitchen to cook supper,
when he announced that everything had been done in what he considered a
proper manner, and, curious to see how it was arranged, Sidney at once
went to the keeper's chamber.
On the floor, in that part of the room where it would be sheltered from
the draft of the stairway, was a rest-inviting bed with an ample supply
of coverings, and the lad said to himself that now he could lie down to
sleep knowing he was not depriving Captain Eph of the comforts which he
absolutely needed.
"Got it fixed, eh?" Mr. Peters asked when Sidney came into the kitchen
again, and the lad replied:
"It's as snug as possible. Uncle Zenas has done the thing up brown."
"That's 'cause I didn't have anybody standin' 'round sayin' it ought'er
be done this way or that," the cook said emphatically, and Captain Eph
winked slowly at Sidney and Mr. Peters.
"Well, Sammy, what time do you count on startin' for the wreck
to-morrow?" the keeper asked when they were eating supper, after
lighting the lamp in the lantern.
"Jest as soon as we get cleaned up. I reckon I'll make a good long day
of it, for the chances are she'll go to pieces mighty soon, if your
prediction about an easterly blow comes out true."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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