"Is there any particular reason why Captain Hunniwell shouldn't
come?" he asked.

Jed and Ruth were silent. Phineas chuckled malevolently. Jed
heard the chuckle and spoke.

"'Twas--'twas Cap'n Sam he was goin' to tell," he whispered,
pointing at Babbitt. Ruth caught her breath with a frightened
gasp.

Grover nodded. "Oh, I see," he said. "Well, I don't think he
will. He'll be more--more--careful, I'm sure. Babbitt, remember."

They heard the captain rattle the latch of the front door. Ruth
opened the door behind her. "I must go, Jed," she whispered.
"I--I can't stay."

The Major turned. "I'll go with you, Mrs. Armstrong," he said.
But Jed leaned forward.

"I--I wish you'd stay, Major Grover," he whispered. "I--I'd like
to have you stay here just a minute or two."

Grover hesitated. Ruth went out, closing the living-room door
after her. A moment later Captain Sam came into the workshop.

"Hello, Jed!" he hailed. "Why, hello, Major! What--" Then for
the first time he saw and recognized the third member of the group.
He looked at Phineas and the little man looked at him. The looks
were studies in expression.

"Humph!" grunted Captain Sam. "What in time--? . . . Humph! . . .
Well, Phin, you look awful glad to see me, I must say. Gracious
king, man, don't glower at me like that! I haven't done anything
to you, if you'd only have sense enough to believe it."

Babbitt did not answer. He looked as if he were going to burst.
Major Grover was regarding him with a whimsical twinkle in his eye.

"Mr. Babbitt and I have just been discussing some points connected
with the war," he observed. "I don't know that we agree, exactly,
but we have--well, we have reached an understanding."

The captain was plainly puzzled. "Humph!" he grunted. "You don't
say! . . . Well, I-- Eh, what is it, Jed?"

If any one had been watching Jed particularly during the recent few
minutes they might have observed in his face the dawning of an idea
and the changing of that idea into a set purpose. The idea seemed
to dawn the moment after he saw Captain Hunniwell coming up the
walk. It had become a purpose by the time the captain rattled the
latch. While Captain Sam and the major were speaking he had
hastened to the old desk standing by the wall and was rummaging in
one of the drawers. Now he came forward.

"Sam--" he began, but broke off to address Mr. Babbitt, who was
striding toward the door. "Don't go, Ph