later.
"Well, doctor?" she asked anxiously.
The stout, gray-haired old physician--he had practiced in Trumet fornearly thirty years--shook his head.
"Not a single chance," he whispered. "He may possibly live till morning,but I doubt if he lasts an hour. It's his heart. I've expected it atany time. Ever since he had that shock, I've been at him to take thingseasy; but you might as well talk to a graven image. That Come-Outerfoolishness is what really killed him, though just what brought on thisattack I can't make out. Grace says she found him lying on the floor bythe sofa. He was unconscious then. I'm rather worried about her. She wasvery near to fainting when I got here."
"No wonder. All alone in this ark of a house and nobody to help or tosend. Lucky she found that Ike Higgins. Say, I wonder if the youngone's around here now? If he is, he must stand at the gate and scare offCome-Outers. The whole chapel, mates, crew, and cabin boy, 'll be downhere soon's meetin's over to see what kept Eben. And they mustn't getin."
"I should say not. I'll hunt up Ike. If a Come-Outer gets into thishouse to-night I'll eat him, that's all."
"Some of 'em would give you dyspepsy, I guess. Yes, Grace, I'll be therein a jiffy."
The doctor left the house to find young Higgins and post him at thegate. The boy, who had been listening under the window, was proud of hisnew responsibility.
"I'll fix 'em, doctor," he declared. "I only hope old Zeke Bassettcomes. He lammed me with a horsewhip t'other day, 'cause I was ridin'behind his ox cart. If he tried to git by me, I'll bounce a rock off'nhis Sunday hat."
"Doctor," whispered Keziah from the kitchen window. "Doctor, come quick.Nat wants you."
Captain Nat was standing at the door of the bedroom. His face was drawnand he had seemingly grown years older since noon.
"He's come to himself, doc," he whispered. "He don't remember how ithappened or anything. And he wants us all. Why! why, Keziah! are youhere?"
"Yes, Nat. I've been here a little while."
He looked at her steadily and his eyes brightened just a trifle.
"Did you come to see me?" he asked. "Was it about what I said this--"
"No, no, Nat; no. I heard the news and that Grace was alone; so I comeright down."
He nodded wearily.
"You can come in, too," he said. "I know dad likes you and I guess--Waita minute; I'll ask him." He stepped back into the bedroom. "Yes," henodded, returning, "you come, too. He wants you."
The little room, Captain Eben's own, was more like a skipper's cabinthan a chamber on land. A narrow, single bed, a plain washstand, abattered, painted bureau and a single chair--these made up the list offurniture. Two pictures, both of schooners under full sail, hung on thewalls. Beside them hung a ship's barometer, a sextant, and a clock thatstruck the "bells," instead of the hours as the landsman understandsthem. In the corner stood the captain's big boots and his oilskins hungabove them. His Sunday cane was there also. And on the bureau was aworn, heavy Bible.
Dr. Parker brushed by the others and bent over the bed.
"Well, cap'n," he said cheerily, "how's she headed? How are you feelingnow?"
The old face on the pillow smiled feebly.
"She's headed for home, I guess, doc," said Captain Eben. "Bound forhome, and the harbor light broad abeam, I cal'late."
"Oh, no! you'll make a good many voyages yet."
"Not in this hulk, I won't, doctor. I hope I'll have a new commandpretty soon. I'm trustin' in my owners and I guess they'll do the fairthing by me. Halloo, Gracie, girl! Well, your old uncle's on his beamends, ain't he?"
Grace glanced fearfully at his face. When he spoke her name she shrankback, as if she feared what he might say. But he only smiled as, withthe tears streaming down her face, she bent over and kissed him.
"There! there!" he protested. "You mustn't cry. What are you cryin'about me for? We know, you and me, who's been lookin' out for us andkeepin' us on the course all these years. We ain't got anything to cryfor. You just keep on bein' a 'good girl, Gracie, and goin' to the rightchurch and--I s'pose Ezekiel'll lead in meetin' now," he added. "I dowish he was a stronger man."
The doctor, whose fingers had been upon the old man's wrist, looked upat Nat significantly.
"There, dad," said the latter, "don't you worry about Zeke Bassett, noranything else. You just lay in dry dock and let Parker here overhaulyour runnin' riggin' and get you fit for sea. That's what you've got todo."
"I'm fit and ready for the sea I'm goin' to sail," was the answer. Hiseyes wandered from his son to Mrs. Coffin. For an instant he seemedpuzzled. Then he said:
"'Evenin', Keziah. I don't know why you're here, but--"
"I heard that Grace was alone and that you was sick, Eben. So I comeright down, to help if I could."
"Thank ye. You're a good-hearted woman, Keziah, even though youain't seen the true light yet. And you're housekeeper for that hiredpriest--a--a--" He paused, and a troubled look came over his face.
"What is it, dad?" asked Nat.
"I--I--Where's Gracie? She's here, ain't she?"
"Yes, uncle, I'm here. Here I am," said the girl. His fingers groped forher hand and seized it.
"Yes, yes, you're here," murmured Captain Eben. "I--I--for a minute orso, I--I had an awful dream about you, Gracie. I dreamed--Never mind.Doc, answer me this now, true and honest, man to man: Can you keep mehere for just a little spell longer? Can you? Try! Ten minutes, say. Canyou?"
"Of course I can. Cap'n Hammond, what are you--"
"I know. That's all right. But I ain't a young one to be petted and liedto. I'm a man. I've sailed ships. I've been on blue water. I'm goin' tomake port pretty soon, and I know it, but I want to get my decks clearfust, if I can. Gracie, stand still. Nat, run alongside where I can seeyou plainer. Keziah, you and the doctor stay where you be. I want you towitness this."
"Cap'n," protested Dr. Parker, "if I were you I wouldn't--"
"Belay! Silence there, for'ard! Nat, you're my boy, ain't you? You setsome store by the old man, hey?"
"I--I guess I do, dad."
"Yes, I guess you do, too. You've been a pretty good boy; stubbornand pig-headed sometimes, but, take you by and large, pretty good. AndGracie, you've been a mighty good girl. Never done nothin' I wouldn'tlike, nothin' mean nor underhand nor--"
"Hush, uncle! Hush! Please hush!"
"Well, you ain't; so why should I hush? In this--this dream I had, seems'sif you--seems as if a man come to me and said that you was--It WAS adream, wa'n't it?"
He tried to rise. Nat and the doctor started forward. Grace shrank back.
"Of course it was, cap'n," said the doctor briskly. "Now you mustn'tfret yourself in this way. Just lie still and--"
"Belay, I tell you. Yes, I guess 'twas a dream. It had to be, but 'twasso sort of real that I--How long have I been this way?"
"Oh, a little while! Now just--"
"Hush! Don't pull your hand away, Gracie. Nat, give me yours. That's it.Now I put them two hands together. See, doctor? See, Keziah?"
"He's wandering. We must stop this," muttered Parker. Mrs. Coffin, whobegan to comprehend what was coming, looked fearfully at Nat and thegirl.
"No, I ain't wanderin', neither," declared the old Come-Outer fretfully."I'm sane as ever I was and if you try to stop me I'll--Gracie, yourUncle Eben's v'yage is 'most over. He's almost to his moorin's andthey're waitin' for him on the pier. I--I won't be long now. Just alittle while, Lord! Give me just a little while to get my house inorder. Gracie, I don't want to go till I know you'll be looked out for.I've spoke to Nat about this, but I ain't said much to you. Seems if Ihadn't, anyhow; I ain't real sartin; my head's all full of bells ringin'and--and things."
"Don't, uncle, don't!" pleaded Grace. "Don't worry about me. Think ofyourself, please."
"S-sh-sh! Don't put me off. Just listen. I want you to marry my boy,after I'm gone. I want you to say you will--say it now, so's I can hearit. Will you, Gracie?"
Grace would have withdrawn her hand, but he would not
let her. He clungto it and to that of his son with all his
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