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—And then they tells the fish to whistle to ’em when it’s time to turn out. Ho! Ho!

—[With a forced smile.] You men folks are too smart to live, aren’t you? [She resumes her knitting. pretends to read his paper; stares at the floor.]

—[''Looks from one to the other of them with a puzzled air. Finally he is unable to bear the thick silence a minute longer, and blurts out:''] You folks look as if you was settin’ up with a corpse. [With exaggerated concern.] God A’mighty, there ain’t anyone dead, be there?

—[Sharply.] Don’t play the dunce, Dick! You know as well as we do there ain’t no great cause to be feelin’ chipper.

—[Argumentatively.] And there ain’t no cause to be wearin’ mourning, either, I can make out.

—[Indignantly.] How can you talk that way, Dick Scott, when you’re taking our Robbie away from us, in the middle of the night, you might say, just to get on that old boat of yours on time! I think you might wait until morning when he’s had his breakfast.

—[Appealing to the others hopelessly.] Ain’t that a woman’s way o’ seein’ things for you? God A’mighty, Kate, I can’t give orders to the tide that it’s got to be high just when it suits me to have it. I ain’t gettin’ no fun out o’ missin’ sleep and leavin’ here at six bells myself. [Protestingly.] And the Sunda ain’t an old ship—leastways, not very old