ee's, they have stings in 'em.'"

Captain Lote, having finished his story, felt in his pocket for a match.
Fosdick, for an instant, appeared puzzled. Then he laughed.

"I see," he said. "You think I made too quick a jump when I concluded
you were backing your grandson in this affair. All right, I'm glad to
hear it. What do you want me to do, sit down again and listen?"

He resumed his seat as he asked the question. Captain Zelotes nodded.

"If you don't mind," he answered. "You see, you misunderstood me, Mr.
Fosdick. I didn't mean any more than what I said when I asked you
what real objection there was, in your opinion to Albert's marryin'
your--er--Madeline, that's her name, I believe. Seems to me the way for
us to get to an understandin'--you and I--is to find out just how the
situation looks to each of us. When we've found out that, we'll know how
nigh we come to agreein' or disagreein' and can act accordin'. Sounds
reasonable, don't it?"

Fosdick nodded in his turn. "Perfectly," he admitted. "Well, ask your
questions, and I'll answer them. After that perhaps I'll ask some
myself. Go ahead."

"I have gone ahead. I've asked one already."

"Yes, but it is such a general question. There may be so many
objections."

"I see. All right, then I'll ask some: What do the lawyers call
'em?--Atlantic? Pacific? I've got it--I'll ask some specific questions.
Here's one. Do you object to Al personally? To his character?"

"Not at all. We know nothing about his character. Very likely he may be
a young saint."

"Well, he ain't, so we'll let that slide. He's a good boy, though, so
far as I've ever been able to find out. Is it his looks? You've never
seen him, but your wife has. Don't she like his looks?"

"She hasn't mentioned his looks to me."

"Is it his money? He hasn't got any of his own."

"We-ell, of course that does count a little bit. Madeline is our only
child, and naturally we should prefer to have her pick out a husband
with a dollar or so in reserve."

"Um-hm. Al's twenty-one, Mr. Fosdick. When I was twenty-one I had some
put by, but not much. I presume likely 'twas different with you, maybe.
Probably you were pretty well fixed."

Fosdick laughed aloud. "You make a good cross-examiner, Snow," he
observed. "As a matter of fact, when I was twenty-one I was assistant
bookkeeper in a New Haven broker's office. I didn't have a cent except
my salary, and I had that only for the first five days in the week."