him?"

Judah answered the last question first.

"They like him," he declared. "All hands are so kind of sorry for him,
you see. Course we all cal'lated he was rich, but he ain't. And them
bonds and such that him and his wife had all went to nawthin' and he
come back here after she died, figgerin', I presume likely, same as
anybody would, that he owned the Fair Harbor property and that the fifty
thousand was just a sort of--er--loan, as you might say. He told Joe
Macomber--or George Kent, I forget which 'twas--he's with George
consider'ble; I guess likely 'twas him--that, of course, he wouldn't
have disturbed the property or the fifty thousand for the world, not for
a long spell anyhow, but ownin' it give him a feelin' of security, like
an anchor to wind'ard, you understand, and----"

"So folks like him, do they?"

"You bet you they do. He don't complain a mite, that's one reason they
like him. Says at first, of course, he was kind of took all aback with
his canvas flappin', but now he's thought it over and realizes 'twas his
dear wife's notion and her wishes is law and gospel to him, so he's
resigned."

"And he doesn't blame anybody, then?"

Mr. Cahoon hesitated. "Why--er--no, not really, fur's I hear. Anyhow, if
there was any influence used same as it shouldn't be, he says, he
forgives them that used it. And, so far as that goes, he don't repute no
evil motives to nobody, livin' or dead."

"Repute? Oh, impute, you mean."

"I guess so, some kind of 'pute'. He uses them old-fashioned kind of
words all the time. That's why he's so pop'lar amongst the Shakespeare
Readin' Society and the rest. _They've_ took him up, I tell ye! Minister
Dishup and his wife they've had him to dinner, and Cap'n Elkanah and his
wife have had him to supper and yesterday noon he was up here to the
Harbor for dinner."

"Oh, was he?"

"Yus. He made 'em a little speech, too. All hands came into the parlor
after dinner and he kind of--of preached to 'em. Told about his
travelin' in foreign lands and a lot about Lobelia and how she loved the
Harbor and everybody in it, and how him and her used to plan for it, and
the like of that. Desire Peasley told me that 'twas the most movin' talk
ever _she_ listened to. Said about everybody was cryin' some. 'Twas a
leaky session, I judged. Oh, they love him over to the Harbor, I tell
you!"

The captain was silent for a moment. Then he asked, "Did I understand
you to say he and young Kent were frien