It's a thunderin' shame."
Captain Eli made no answer. He still sat with his elbows on
his knees and his hands in his hair.
"A better course than you laid down fer these Christmas times
was never dotted on a chart," continued Captain Cephas. "From
port of sailin' to port of entry you laid it down clear and fine.
But it seems there was rocks that wasn't marked on the chart."
"Yes," groaned Captain Eli, "there was rocks."
Captain Cephas made no attempt to comfort his friend, but
went to work to get breakfast.
When that meal--a rather silent one--was over, Captain Eli
felt better. "There was rocks," he said, "and not a breaker to
show where they lay, and I struck 'em bow on. So that's the end
of that voyage. But I've tuk to my boats, cap'n, I've tuk to my
boats."
"I'm glad to hear you've tuk to your boats," said Captain
Cephas, with an approving glance upon his friend.
About ten minutes afterwards Captain Eli said, "I'm goin' up
to my house."
"By yourself?" said the other.
"Yes, by myself. I'd rather go alone. I don't intend to
mind anything, and I'm goin' to tell her that she can stay there
and spend Christmas,--the place she lives in ain't no place to
spend Christmas,--and she can make the little gal have a good
time, and go 'long just as we intended to go 'long--plum-duff and
mince-pie all the same. I can stay here, and you and me can have
our Christmas dinner together, if we choose to give it that name.
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