Mr. Hamilton regarded his friend with an odd expression.

“Shadrach,” he asked, “do you realize what you’re sayin’?”

“Who’s sayin’?  You said it, I didn’t.  Besides takin’ her home with us today don’t mean nothin’, does it?  A visit won’t hurt us.  Visits don’t bind anybody to anything.  Jumpin’ Judas!  I guess we’ve got room enough in the house to have one young-one come visitin’ for—­for a couple of days, if we want to.  What are you makin’ such a fuss about?  Here you,” turning to the housekeeper, “ain’t you gone yet?  You’ve got just thirteen minutes to get that satchel ready.”

Mrs. Hobbs departed, outraged dignity in her walk and manner.

“Am—­am I goin’?” faltered Mary-’Gusta.

Zoeth nodded.

“Yes,” he said, “you’re goin’.  Unless, of course, you’d rather stay here.”

“No, I’d rather go, if—­if I can take David and the dolls.  Can I?”

“Can she, Shadrach?”

Captain Shad, who was pacing the floor, turned savagely.

“What do you ask me that for?” he demanded.  “This is your doin’s, ’tain’t mine.  You said it first, didn’t you?  Yes, yes, let her take the dolls and cats—­and cows and pigs, too, if she wants to.  Jumpin’ fire!  What do I care?  If a feller’s bound to be a fool, a little live stock more or less don’t make him any bigger one. . . .  Land sakes!  I believe she’s goin’ to cry again.  Don’t do that!  What’s the matter now?”

The tears were starting once more in the girl’s eyes.

“I—­I don’t think you want me,” she stammered.  “If you did you—­you wouldn’t talk so.”

The Captain was greatly taken aback.  He hesitated, tugged at his beard, and then, walking over to the child, took her by the hand.

“Don’t you mind the way I talk, Mary-’Gusta,” he said.  “I’m liable to talk ‘most any way, but I don’t mean nothin’ by it.  I like little girls, same as Zoeth said.  And I ain’t mad about the jig-tune chair, neither.  Say,” with a sudden inspiration; “here we are settin’ here and one of our passengers has left the dock.  We got to find that cat, ain’t we?  What did you say his name was—­Solomon?”

“No, sir; David.”

“David, sure enough.  If I’d been up in Scripture the way Zoeth—­Mr. Hamilton, here—­is, I wouldn’t have made that mistake, would I?  Come on, let’s you and me go find David and break the news to him.  Say, he’ll be some surprised to find he’s booked for a foreign v’yage, won’t he?  Come on, we’ll go find him.”

Mary-’Gusta slowly rose from Mr. Hamilton’s knee.  She regarded the Captain steadily for a moment; then, hand in hand, they left the barn together.

Judge Baxter whistled.  “Well!” he exclaimed.  “I must say I didn’t expect this.”

Zoeth smiled.  “There ain’t many better men than Shadrach Gould,” he observed, quietly.

CHAPTER IV