His
grandfather looked at him in silence for a moment, tapping his desk with
the stump of a pencil. Albert, too, was silent; he was already thinking
of another poem with which to dazzle the world, and his head was among
the rosy clouds.

"Sit down, Al," said Captain Zelotes shortly.

Albert reluctantly descended to earth and took the battered armchair
standing beside the desk. The captain tapped with his pencil upon the
figure-covered sheet of paper before him. Then he said:

"Al, you've been here three years come next December, ain't you?"

"Why--yes, sir, I believe I have."

"Um-hm, you have. And for the heft of that time you've been in this
office."

"Yes, sir."

"Yes. And Labe Keeler and I have been doin' our best to make a business
man out of you. You understand we have, don't you?"

Albert looked puzzled and a little uneasy. Into his roseate dreams was
just beginning to filter the idea that his grandfather's tone and manner
were peculiar.

"Why, yes, sir, of course I understand it," he replied.

"Well, I asked you because I wasn't quite sure whether you did or not.
Can you guess what this is I've got on my desk here?"

He tapped the figure-covered sheet of paper once more. Before Albert
could speak the captain answered his own question.

"I'll tell you what it is," he went on. "It's one of the latest samples
of your smartness as a business man. I presume likely you know that
Laban worked here in this office until three o'clock this mornin',
didn't you?"

Albert did not know it. Mr. Keeler had told him nothing of the sort.

"Why, no," he replied. "Did he? What for?"

"Ye-es, he did. And what for? Why, just to find out what was the matter
with his trial balance, that's all. When one of Labe's trial balances
starts out for snug harbor and ends up on a reef with six foot of water
in her hold, naturally Labe wants to get her afloat and pumped dry as
quick as possible. He ain't used to it, for one thing, and it makes him
nervous."

Albert's uneasiness grew. When his grandfather's speech became sarcastic
and nautical, the young man had usually found that there was trouble
coming for somebody.

"I--I'm sorry Laban had to stay so late," he stammered. "I should have
been glad to stay and help him, but he didn't ask me."

"No-o. Well, it may possibly be that he cal'lated he was carryin' about
all your help that the craft would stand, as 'twas. Any more might sink
her. See here, young feller--" Captai