When this first comes to you I know you will both feel you are not fitted to take charge of my girl.  You will say that neither of you has had any children of his own and you have not got experience in that line.  But I have thought it over and I know I am right.  I couldn’t find better pilots afloat or ashore.  Shadrach has been to sea and commanded vessels and is used to giving orders and having them carried out.  He sailed mate with me for a good many voyages and was my partner ashore.  I know him from truck to keelson.  He is honest and able and can handle any craft.  He will keep the girl on the course she ought to sail in her schooling and such and see she does not get on the rocks or take to cruising in bad company.  Zoeth has had the land training.  He is a pious man and as good outside the church as he is in, which is not always the case according to my experience.  He has the name all up and down the Cape of being a square, honest storekeeper.  He will look out for Mary’s religious bringing up and learn her how to keep straight and think square.  You are both of you different from each other in most ways but you are each of you honest and straight in his own way.  I don’t leave Mary in the care of one but in the charge of both.  I know I am right.

“He said that very thing to me a good many times,” put in the Judge.  “He seemed to feel that the very fact of your being men of different training and habits of thought made the combination ideal.  Between you, so he seemed to think, the girl could not help but grow up as she should.  I am almost through; there is a little more.”

I want you fellows to do this for my sake.  I know you will, after you have thought it over.  You and I have been through good times and bad together.  We have made money and we have seen it go faster than it came.  Shad has seen his savings taken away from him, partly because I trusted where he did not, and he never spoke a word of complaint nor found a mite of fault.  Zoeth has borne my greatest trouble with me and though his share was far away bigger than mine, he kept me from breaking under it.  I have not seen as much of you lately as I used to see, but that was my fault.  Not my fault exactly, maybe, but my misfortune.  I have not been the man I was and seeing you made me realize it.  That is why I have not been to South Harniss and why I acted so queer when you came here.  I was sort of ashamed, I guess.  You remember when the old Hall and Company firm started business there were four of us who agreed to stick by each other through foul weather and fair till we died.  One of that four broke his promise and pretty nigh wrecked us all, as he did wreck the firm.  Now I am asking you two to stick by me and mine.  I am trusting and believing that you are going to do it as I write this.  When you read it I shan’t be on hand.  But, if I am where I can see and hear I shall still be believing you will do this last favor for your old messmate.