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for one thing； and it makes him nervous。〃
Albert's uneasiness grew。 When his grandfather's speech became
sarcastic and nautical； the young man had usually found that there
was trouble coming for somebody。
〃II'm sorry Laban had to stay so late；〃 he stammered。 〃I should
have been glad to stay and help him； but he didn't ask me。〃
〃No…o。 Well； it may possibly be that he cal'lated he was carryin'
about all your help that the craft would stand； as 'twas。 Any more
might sink her。 See here； young feller〃 Captain Zelotes dropped
his quiet sarcasm and spoke sharp and brisk： 〃See here；〃 he said；
〃do you realize that this sheet of paper I've got here is what
stands for a day's work done by you yesterday？ And on this sheet
there was no less than four silly mistakes that a child ten years
old hadn't ought to make； that an able…bodied idiot hadn't ought to
make。 But YOU made 'em； and they kept Labe Keeler here till three
o'clock this mornin'。 Now what have you got to say for yourself？〃
As a matter of fact； Albert had very little to say； except that he
was sorry； and that his grandfather evidently did not consider
worth the saying。 He waved the protestation aside。
〃Sorry！〃 he repeated impatiently。 〃Of course you're sorry； though
even at that I ain't sure you're sorry enough。 Labe was sorry；
too； I don't doubt； when his bedtime went by and he kept runnin'
afoul of one of your mistakes after another。 I'm sorry； darned
sorry； to find out that you can make such blunders after three
years on board here under such teachin' as you've had。 But bein'
sorry don't help any to speak of。 Any fool can be sorry for his
foolishness； but if that's all； it don't help a whole lot。 Is
bein' sorry the best excuse you've got to offer？ What made you
make the mistakes in the first place？〃
Albert's face was darkly red under the lash of his grandfather's
tongue。 Captain Zelotes and he had had disagreements and verbal
encounters before； but never since they had been together had the
captain spoken like this。 And the young fellow was no longer
seventeen； he was twenty。 The flush began to fade from his cheeks
and the pallor which meant the rise of the Speranza temper took its
place。
〃What made you make such fool blunders？〃 repeated the captain。
〃You knew better； didn't you？〃
〃Yes；〃 sullenly； 〃I suppose I did。〃
〃You know mighty well you did。 And as nigh as I can larn from what
I got out of Labanwhich wasn't much； I had to pump it out of him
word by wordthis ain't the first set of mistakes you've made。
You make 'em right along。 If it wasn't for him helpin' you out and
coverin' up your mistakes； this firm would be in hot water with its
customers two…thirds of the time and the books would be fust…rate
as a puzzle； somethin' to use for a guessin' match； but plaguey
little good as straight accounts of a goin' concern。 Now what
makes you act this way？ Eh？ What makes you？〃
〃Oh； I don't know。 See here； Grandfather〃
〃Hold on a minute。 You don't know； eh？ Well； I know。 It ain't
because you ain't smart enough to keep a set of books and keep 'em
well。 I don't expect you to be a Labe Keeler； there ain't many
bookkeepers like him on this earth。 But I do know you're smart
enough to keep my books and keep 'em as they'd ought to be； if you
want to keep 'em。 The trouble with you is that you don't want to。
You've got too much of your good…for…nothin〃 Captain Lote pulled
up short； cleared his throat； and went on： 〃You've got too much
'poet' in you；〃 he declared； 〃that's what's the matter。〃
Albert leaned forward。 〃That wasn't what you were going to say；〃
he said quickly。 〃You were going to say that I had too much of my
father in me。〃
It was the captain's turn to redden。 〃Eh？〃 he stammered。 〃Why；
II How do you know what I was goin' to say？〃
〃Because I do。 You say it all the time。 Or； if you don't say it；
you look it。 There is hardly a day that I don't catch you looking
at me as if you were expecting me to commit murder or do some
outrageous thing or other。 And I know； too； that it is all because
I'm my father's son。 Well； that's all right； feel that way about
me if you want to； I can't help it。〃
〃Here； here； Al！ Hold on！ Don't〃
〃I won't hold on。 And I tell you this： I hate this work here。 You
say I don't want to keep books。 Well； I don't。 I'm sorry I made
the errors yesterday and put Keeler to so much trouble； but I'll
probably make more。 No；〃 with a sudden outburst of determination；
〃I won't make any more。 I won't； because I'm not going to keep
books any more。 I'm through。〃
Captain Zelotes leaned back in his chair。
〃You're what？〃 he asked slowly。
〃I'm through。 I'll never work in this office another day。 I'm
through。〃
The captain's brows drew together as he stared steadily at his
grandson。 He slowly tugged at his beard。
〃Humph！〃 he grunted； after a moment。 〃So you're through； eh？
Goin' to quit and go somewheres else； you mean？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Um…hm。 I see。 Where are you goin' to go？〃
〃I don't know。 But I'm not going to make a fool of myself at this
job any longer。 I can't keep books； and I won't keep them。 I hate
business。 I'm no good at it。 And I won't stay here。〃
〃I see。 I see。 Well； if you won't keep on in business； what will
you do for a livin'？ Write poetry？〃
〃Perhaps。〃
〃Um…m。 Be kind of slim livin'； won't it？ You've been writin'
poetry for about a year and a half； as I recollect； and so far
you've made ten dollars。〃
〃That's all right。 If I don't make it I may starve； as you are
always saying that writers do。 But； starve or not； I shan't ask
YOU to take care of me。〃
〃I've taken care of you for three years or so。〃
〃Yes。 But you did it becausebecause Well； I don't know why
you did； exactly； but you won't have to do it any longer。 I'm
through。〃
The captain still stared steadily； and what he saw in the dark eyes
which flashed defiance back at him seemed to trouble him a little。
His tugs at his beard became more strenuous。
〃Humph！〃 he muttered。 〃Humph！ 。 。 。 Well； Al； of course I can't
make you stay by main force。 Perhaps I couldyou ain't of age
yetbut I shan't。 And you want to quit the ship altogether； do
you？〃
〃If you mean this officeyes； I do。〃
〃I see； I see。 Want to quit South Harniss and your grandmother
and Racheland Labeand Helenand all the rest of 'em？〃
〃Not particularly。 But I shall have to； of course。〃
〃Yes。 。 。 。 Um…hm。 。 。 。 Yes。 Have you thought how your
grandmother's liable to feel when she hears you are goin' to clear
out and leave her？〃
Albert had not thought in that way； but he did now。 His tone was a
trifle less combative as he answered。
〃She'll be sorry at first； I suppose；〃 he said； 〃but she'll get
over it。〃
〃Um…hm。 Maybe she will。 You can get over 'most anything in time
'MOST anything。 Well； and how about me？ How do you think I'll
feel？〃
Albert's chin lifted。 〃You！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Why； you'll be mighty
glad of it。〃
Captain Zelotes picked up the pencil stump and twirled it in his
fingers。 〃Shall I？〃 he asked。 〃You think I will； do you？〃
〃Of course you will。 You don't like me； and never did。〃
〃So I've heard you say。 Well； boy； don't you cal'late I like you
at least as much as you like me？〃
〃No。 What do you mean？ I like you well enough。 That is； I should
if you gave me half a chance。 But you don't do it。 You hate me
because my father〃
The captain interrupted。 His big palm struck the desk。
〃DON'T say that again！〃 he commanded。 〃Look here； if I hated you
do you suppose I'd be talkin' to you like this？ If I hated you do
you cal'late I'd argue when you gave me notice？ Not by a jugful！
No man ever came to me and said he was goin' to quit and had me beg
him to stay。 If we was at sea he stayed until we made port； then
he WENT； and he didn't hang around waitin' for a boat to take him
ashore neither。 I don't hate you； son。 I'd ask nothin' better
than a chance to like you； but you won't give it to me。〃
Albert's eyes and mouth opened。
〃_I_ won't give YOU a chance？〃 he repeated。
〃Sartin。 DO you give me one？ I ask you to keep these books of
mine。 You could keep 'em A Number One。 You're smart enough to do
it。 But you won't。 You let 'em go to thunder and waste your time
makin' up fool poetry and such stuff。〃
〃But I like writing； and I don't like keeping books。〃
〃Keepin' books is a part of l'arnin' the business； and business is
the way you're goin' to get your livin' by and by。〃
〃No； it isn't。 I am going to be a writer。〃
〃Now DON'T say that silly thing again！ I don't want to hear it。〃
〃I shall say it because it is true。〃
〃Look here； boy： When I tell you or anybody else in this office to
do or not to do a thing； I expect 'em to obey orders。 And I tell
you not to talk any more of that foolishness about bein' a writer。
D'you understand？〃
〃Yes； of course I understand。〃
〃All right； then； that much is settled。 。 。 。 Here！ Where are you
goin'？〃
Albert had turned and was on his way out of the office。 He stopped
and answered over his shoulder； 〃I'm going home；〃 he said。
〃Goin' HOME？ Why； you came from home not more than an h