ng about, except to get himself taken prisoner in almost his first
engagement. "Go and ask some of the other fellows aboard here," he
urged. "They have been all through it." As he would not talk the
newspaper men were obliged to talk for him, which they did by describing
his appearance and his manner, and by rehashing the story of the fight
in the French village. Also, of course, they republished some of his
verses. The Lances of Dawn appeared in a special edition in honor of its
author's reappearance on this earth.

"Yes sir," continued Captain Zelotes, "the reception committee was
consider'ble disappointed. They'd have met you with the Orham band if
they'd had their way. I told 'em you'd heard all the band music you
wanted in camp, I guessed likely, and you'd rather come home quiet.
There was goin' to be some speeches, too, but I had them put off."

"Thanks, Grandfather."

"Um-hm. I had a notion you wouldn't hanker for speeches. If you do
Issy'll make one for you 'most any time. Ever since you got into the
papers Issy's been swellin' up like a hot pop-over with pride because
you and he was what he calls chummies. All last summer Issachar spent
his evenin's hangin' around the hotel waitin' for the next boarder to
mention your name. Sure as one did Is was ready for him. 'Know him?'
he'd sing out. 'Did I know Al Speranza? ME? Well, now say!--' And so on,
long as the feller would listen. I asked him once if he ever told any of
'em how you ducked him with the bucket of water. He didn't think I knew
about that and it kind of surprised him, I judged."

Albert smiled. "Laban told you about it, I suppose," he said. "What a
kid trick that was, wasn't it?"

The captain turned his head and regarded him for an instant. The old
twinkle was in his eye when he spoke.

"Wouldn't do a thing like that now, Al, I presume likely?" he said.
"Feel a good deal older now, eh?"

Albert's answer was seriously given.

"Sometimes I feel at least a hundred and fifty," he replied.

"Humph! . . . Well, I wouldn't feel like that. If you're a hundred and
fifty I must be a little older than Methuselah was in his last years.
I'm feelin' younger to-day, younger than I have for quite a spell. Yes,
for quite a spell."

His grandson put a hand on his knee. "Good for you, Grandfather," he
said. "Now tell me more about Labe. Do you know I think the old chap's
sticking by his pledge is the bulliest thing I've heard since I've been
home."

So they