y breakin'
up, there warn't nothing could be done for the feller that had lost his
mind. He was put straightaway into a crazy-house when they got to port.

"Now, them fellers saved from the _Gilbert Gaunt_ didn't go through
nothin' like that, it stands to reason. Cap'n Am'zon----"

Lawford Tapp was gazing out of the door beside Cap'n Joab, whose deeply
tanned, whisker-fringed countenance wore an expression of disgust.

"I declare! I'd love to see this wonderful brother of his. He must have
Baron Munchausen lashed to the post," the young man whispered.

"Never heard tell of that Munchausen feller," Cap'n Joab reflected.
"Reckon he didn't sail from any of the Cape ports. But you let Abe tell
it, Cap'n Am'zon Silt is the greatest navigator an' has the
rip-snortin'est adventoors of airy deep-bottom sailor that ever chawed
salt hoss."

"Did you ever see him?" Lawford asked.

"See who?"

"Cap'n Amazon?"

"No. I didn't never see him. But I've heard Cap'n Abe talk about
him--standin' off an' on as ye might say--for twenty year and more."

"Odd you never met him, isn't it?"

"No. I never happened on Cap'n Am'zon when I was sea-farin'. And he
ain't never been to Cardhaven to my knowledge."

"Never been here?" murmured Lawford Tapp more than a little surprised.
"Wasn't he born and brought up here?"

"No. Neither was Cap'n Abe. The Silts flourish, as ye might say--or,
useter 'fore the fam'ly sort o' petered out--down New Bedford way. Cap'n
Abe come here twenty-odd year back and opened this store. He's as salt
as though he'd been a haddocker since he was weaned. But he's always
stuck mighty close inshore. Nobody ever seen him in a boat--'ceptin' out
in a dory fishin' for tomcod in the bay, and on a mighty ca'm day at
that."

"How does it come that he is called captain, then?" Lawford asked,
impressed by Cap'n Beecher's scorn of the storekeeper.

The captain reflected, his jaws working spasmodically. "It's easy 'nough
to pick up skipper's title longshore. 'Most ev'ry man owns some kind of
a boat; and o' course a man's cap'n of his own craft--or 'doughter be.
But I reckon Abe Silt aimed his title honest 'nough."

"How?" urged Lawford.

"When Abe fust come here to Cardhaven there was still two-three wrecking
comp'nies left on the Cape. Why, 'tain't been ten years since the
Paulmouth Comp'ny wrecked the _Mary Benson_ that went onto Sanders Reef
all standin'. They made a good speck out o' the job, t