Galusha found considerable amusement in talks like those.  Primmie was a distinct relief, for she never mentioned the troublesome Development Company.  Talk in the village concerning it was dying down and Mr. Pulcifer’s assertion that he had bought only the shares of the small holders was becoming more generally believed.  But in the Gould’s Bluffs settlement this belief was scoffed at.  Captain Jeth Hallett told Galusha the truth and his statement was merely a confirmation of Martha Phipps’.

“Raish is hotfoot after that stock of mine,” growled the light keeper.  “He’s ’round to see me every day or two.  Don’t hint any more neither; comes right out and bids for it.  He’s got to as high as nineteen a share now.  And he’d go higher, too.  How far he’ll go I don’t know, but I cal’late I’ll keep him stringin’ along till I find out.”

He pulled at his beard for a moment and then added: 

“It’s plain enough, of course, that Raish is agent for somebody that wants to buy in that stock.  Who ’tis, though, I can’t guess.  It ain’t your Cabot, Bancroft and Cabot crowd, Mr. Bangs.  That’s plain enough, too.”

Galusha tried to look innocently interested.

“Oh—­ah—­yes,” he said.  “Is it?”

“Sartin ‘tis.  They wouldn’t need to be sendin’ anybody to buy my shares, would they?  They’ve bought ’em already.  The whole thing is queer.  Look here!  Why should anybody be chasin’ me for those shares?  Why don’t they get a list of stockholders from the books?  Those transfer books ought to show that I’ve sold, hadn’t they?  They would, too, if any transfer had been made.  There ain’t been any made, that’s all the answer I can think of.  I signed those certificates of mine in blank, transferred ’em in blank on the back.  And somebody—­whoever ’twas bought ’em—­ain’t turned ’em in for new ones in their own name, but have left ’em just the way they got ’em.  That’s why Raish and his crowd think I’ve still got my stock.  Now ain’t that funny, Mr. Bangs?  Ain’t that strange?”

It was not at all funny to Galusha.  Nor strange.  The light keeper tugged at his beard and his shaggy brows drew together.  “I don’t know’s I did right to let go of that stock of mine, after all,” he said, slowly.  “Don’t know as I did, no.”

Galusha asked him why.

“Because I don’t know as I did, that’s all.  If I’d hung on I might have got more for it.  Looks to me as if Raish’s crowd, whoever they are, are mighty anxious to buy.  And the Denboro Trust Company folks might bid against ’em if ’twas necessary.  They’ve got too much of that stock to let themselves be froze out.  Humph! . . .  Humph!  I ain’t sure as I did right.”

“But—­but you did get a profit, Captain Hallett.  The profit you—­ ah—­expected.”

“Humph!  I got a profit, but how do I know ’twas the profit Julia meant?  I ought to have gone and asked her afore I sold, that’s what I ought to have done, I cal’late.”