mate I told you of, and the young doctor
at the village.” “ George. A generous, genial fellow, eh? Hospitable, I should say.” “ Oh, l’ll warrant for him 1
He’ll be
having you to feed and liquor at the inn before now. He’s a little too free with both his money and his gab-George. He keeps a dozen lazy beggars up, now. But he’ll mend, likely. The Laddouns had always brains and pockets like sieves. They’re slack,—leaky.” “He has seen the world, he tells me. On his brother's ship ?”
ll
secrets of other men into his own keep ing, he apparently looked for them no farther than in the pupils of the eycs. George Laddoun had met him at first with his pleasant, bold glance, turning it, however, in a moment uneasily away. The young fellow, with all his stout muscle and hot blood, was easily abashed as a girl. He came up to the fishermen with a cheery “ Hillo !” “Hillo, Laddoun !”
It was
young
Jim Van Zeldt who answered him, with his hands in his pockets, shifting his cigar “No; he went to lectures in York and a from one side of his mouth to the other. Philadelphia. I can’t say that it spoiled ‘ He was the owner of the vessel. The him much; he come back, thinking bet ‘ other men were too busy straining over ter of old Manasquan than ever, show a barrel which they lifted to speak. ing more sense than I looked for. There “ You’ve got a hefty load there,” pull wasn't a child in the village that didn’t ing off his coat, “ Take out your cigar, take a holiday when he come. George Jim, and put your own shoulder to ! Yo, is a main one for children, especially ho !” as the barrel went in. He worked when they’re big and hearty. My Bob along with the fishermen until the load used to count on him. No, I’ve nothing ing was done, singing some students’ against George Laddoun,” reflectively. song, he had learned when abroad, in “ There he is.” a billowy, free, bass voice. Nobody They had made a turn on the beach, ' thanked him when the work was finish and were coming toward the schooner ed, and he stood perspiring more than with the leisurely pace befitting their age any of them, sopping his shining black and gravity. Laddoun, coming down } hair and red, handsome face. But the men the ridge with a boyish whistle and leap, knew, of course, how much better stutf stopped, with a shamed blush and laugh, was in him than in that milk-faced Jim before his fellow-practitioner. “ This Van Zeldt, who paid them to the last bracing air makes a boy of me,” apolo penny for their work, but never lifted a getically, bowing to both of them. “ But finger to help, or cracked a joke. Jim was a famous leaper like you,” to Noanes, the only man on that beach who paid “ can forgive a fellow. I’d like to have for work; with the others it was all tried you at the standing jump. twenty “neighbor-help.” Evening had come years ago.” on before the last load was in: a gray, “ I’d have put you to your mettle, sir. gusty evening, as we said—the strange A pleasant-spoken dog,” complacently silence and melancholy which belonged lighting his pipe as the young man went to this coast, as though the dead beneath on, and measuring his broad back and the curdling breakers would not be for low height critically. “ A well-built fel gotten, growing deeper as night ap low, say? strong joints, and sockets well proached. Doctor Noanes was gone. oiled. D’ye see? his limbs move easily but Ledwith, the strange Friend, had in his clothes and shoes. I'd like to come closer to the schooner, and was have tried a leap with him well enough. standing with his white. pursy hands But them days is over. The old lion’s rolled into each other, behind him, watch ingr the men from under the shadow of bones is stiff.” The Quaker had paid but slight atten his wide-brimmed hat, with the usual tion to the short, athletic figure. or its inexpressive, abstracted look on his fat loose-fitting suit of gray corduroy. If face. The men resented his presence he had any fancy for compelling the 1 with that uneasy impatience which ani
