"I should say not."
"And there doesn't seem to be anybody else," said his
companion. "Can you think of anybody, cap'n?"
"There ain't anybody to think of," replied Captain Cephas,
"unless it might be Eliza Trimmer. She's generally ready enough
to do anything that turns up. But she wouldn't be no good--her
house is too far away for either you or me to hail her in case a
croup came up suddint."
"That's so," said Captain Eli. "She does live a long way off."
"So that settles the whole business," said Captain Cephas.
"She's too far away to come if wanted, and nuther of us couldn't
keep no child without somebody to come if they was wanted, and
it's no use to have a Christmas tree without a child. A
Christmas without a Christmas tree don't seem agreeable to you,
cap'n, so I guess we'd better get along just the same as we've
been in the habit of doin', and eat our Christmas dinner, as we
do our other meals in our own houses."
Captain Eli looked into the fire. "I don't like to give up
things if I can help it. That was always my way. If wind and
tide's ag'in' me, I can wait till one or the other, or both of
them, serve."
"Yes," said Captain Cephas, "you was always that kind of a
man."
"That's so. But it does 'pear to me as if I'd have to give
up this time, though it's a pity to do it, on account of the
little gal, fer she ain't likely to have any Christmas this year.
She's a nice little gal, and takes as natural to navigation as if
she'd been born at sea.
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