ve just learned that a part
of this quilt was made from a suit of clothes worn by Cap'n Jarvis on
his last v'yage,' he says. '_Just_ think of it,' says he, 'this blue
strip here is a part of the coat worn by him as he trod the deck of his
ship homeward bound--bound home to his wife, bound home to die.'

"Well, all hands cried more'n ever at that, and Mrs. Jarvis got up, with
the tears a-runnin', and says she: 'It wan't his coat,' she says. 'I
sold the coat and vest to a peddler. 'Twas his----' But Egbert cut in
afore she could tell what 'twas, and then he got 'em to biddin'.
Creepin' Henry, Cap'n Sears! that log-cabin quilt sold for nine dollars
and a half, and the man that bought it was Philander Comstock, the
tailor over to Denboro. And Philander told me himself that he didn't
know why he bought it. '_I_ made that suit of clothes for Cap'n Azariah,
myself,' he says, 'and he died afore I got half my pay for it. But that
Phillips man,' he says, 'could sell a spyglass to a blind man.'"

The captain asked Judah if he had heard any testimony on the other side;
were there any people in Bayport who did not like Mr. Phillips. Judah
thought it over.

"We-ll," he said, reflectively, "I don't know as I've ever heard anybody
come right out and call him names. Anybody but Esther Tidditt, that is;
she's down on him like a sheet anchor on a crab. Sometimes Elviry snaps
out somethin' spiteful, but most of that's jealousy, I cal'late. You
see, Elviry had her cap all set for this Egbert widower--that is, all
hands seems to cal'late she had--and then she began to find her nose was
bein' put out of j'int. You know who they're sayin' put it out, Cap'n
Sears? There seems to be a general notion around town that----"

Kendrick interrupted; this was a matter he did not care to discuss with
Judah or any one else. There had been quite enough said on that subject.

"Yes, yes, all right, Judah," he said, hastily. "But the men? Do the men
like him as well as the women?"

"Why--why, yes, I guess so. Not quite so well, of course. That wouldn't
be natural, would it, Cap'n Sears?"

"Perhaps not. But have you ever heard any man say anything against him,
anything definite? Does he pay his bills?"

"Eh? Why, I don't know. I ain't never----"

"All right. Who does he chum around with mostly? Who are his best
friends?"

Mr. Cahoon gave a list of them, beginning of course with the Wingates
and the Dishups and the members of the Shakespeare Reading