“‘His car?  You mean yours.’

“‘No, I mean his.  I sold my car to him yesterday mornin’ for twenty-five hundred dollars cash.’

“I set up in bed.  ’Go ‘long!’ I sings out.  ‘You didn’t nuther!’

“’Yes, I did.  Sure thing.  After that ride, you couldn’t have separated him from that machine with blastin’ powder.  He paid over the money like a little man.’

“I laid down again.  Jonadab Wixon payin’ twenty-five hundred dollars for a plaything!  Not promisin’, but actually payin’ it!

“‘Has—­has the widow gone with him?’ I asked, soon’s I could get my breath.

“He laughed sort of queer.  ‘No,’ he says, ’she’s gone out of town for a few days.  Ha, ha!  Well, between you and me, Wingate, I doubt if she comes back again.  She and I have made all we’re likely to in this neighborhood, and she’s too good a business woman to waste her time.  Good-by; glad to have met you.’

“But I smelt rat strong and wouldn’t let him go without seein’ the critter.

“‘Hold on!’ I says.  ‘There’s somethin’ underneath all this.  Out with it.  I won’t let on to the Cap’n if you don’t want me to.’

“‘Well,’ says he, laughin’ again, ’Mrs. Bassett won’t come back and I know it.  She and I have sold four cars on the Cape in the last five weeks, and the profits’ll more’n pay vacation expenses.  Two up in Wareham, one over in Orham, to Loveland—­’

“‘Did you sell Tobias his?’ I asks, settin’ up again.

“’Hettie and I did—­yes.  Soon’s we landed him, we come over to bag old Wixon.  I thought one time he’d kill us before we got him, but he didn’t.  How he did run that thing!  He’s a game sport.’

“‘See here!’ says I.  ‘You and Hettie sold—­What do you mean by that?’

“‘Mrs. Bassett is my backer in the auto business,’ says he.  ’She put in her money and I furnished the experience.  We’ve got a big plant up in—­’ namin’ a city in Connecticut.

“I fetched a long breath.  ‘Well!’ says I.  ‘And all this makin’ eyes at Tobe and Jonadab was just—­just—­’

“‘Just bait, that’s all,’ says he.  ’I told you she was a good business woman.’

“I let this sink in good.  Then says I, ’Humph!  I swan to man!  And how’s your heart actin’ now?’

“‘Fine!’ he says, winkin’.  ’I had that attack so’s the Cap’n would learn to run on his own hook.  I didn’t expect quite so much of a run, but I’m satisfied.  Don’t you worry about my heart disease.  That twenty-five hundred cured it.  ‘Twas all in the way of business,’ says Henry G. Bradbury.”

“Whew!” whistled Captain Hiram as Barzilla reached into his pocket for pipe and tobacco.  “Whew!  I should say your partner had a narrer escape.  Want to look out sharp for widders.  They’re dangerous, hey, Sol?”

The depot master did not answer.  Captain Hiram asked another question.  “How’d Jonadab take Hettie’s leavin’?” he inquired.