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〃Everything； or just about； I should say。 Goodness gracious me；
when I go up to Boston I have all I can do to fill up one trunk。
And I'm bigger'n you arebigger 'round； anyway。〃
There was no doubt about that。 Captain Zelotes laughed shortly。
〃That statement ain't what I'd call exaggerated； Rachel；〃 he
declared。 〃Every time I see you and Laban out walkin' together he
has to keep on the sunny side or be in a total eclipse。 And； by
the way； speakin' of Laban Say； son； how did you and he get
along comin' down from the depot？〃
〃All right。 It was pretty dark。〃
〃I'll bet you！ Laban wasn't very talkative； was he？〃
〃Why； yes； sir； he talked a good deal but he sang most of the
time。〃
This simple statement appeared to cause a most surprising sensation。
The Snows and their housekeeper looked at each other。 Captain
Zelotes leaned back in his chair and whistled。
〃Whew！〃 he observed。 〃Hum！ Sho！ Thunderation！〃
〃Oh； dear！〃 exclaimed his wife。
Mrs。 Ellis； the housekeeper； drew a long breath。 〃I might have
expected it；〃 she said tartly。 〃It's past time。 He's pretty nigh
a month overdue； as 'tis。〃
Captain Snow rose to his feet。 〃I was kind of suspicious when he
started for the barn；〃 he declared。 〃Seemed to me he was singin'
then。 WHAT did he sing； boy？〃 he asked； turning suddenly upon his
grandson。
〃Whywhy； I don't know。 I didn't notice particularly。 You see；
it was pretty cold and〃
Mrs。 Ellis interrupted。 〃Did he sing anything about somebody's
bein' his darlin' hanky…panky and wearin' a number two？〃 she
demanded sharply。
〃Whywhy； yes； he did。〃
Apparently that settled it。 Mrs。 Snow said； 〃Oh； dear！〃 again and
the housekeeper also rose from the table。
〃You'd better go right out to the barn this minute； Cap'n Lote；〃
she said； 〃and I guess likely I'd better go with you。〃
The captain already had his cap on his head。
〃No； Rachel；〃 he said； 〃I don't need you。 Cal'late I can take care
of 'most anything that's liable to have happened。 If he ain't put
the bridle to bed in the stall and hung the mare up on the harness
pegs I judge I can handle the job。 Wonder how fur along he'd got。
Didn't hear him singin' anything about 'Hyannis on the Cape；' did
you； boy？〃
〃No。〃
〃That's some comfort。 Now； don't you worry； Mother。 I'll be back
in a few minutes。〃
Mrs。 Snow clasped her hands。 〃Oh； I HOPE he hasn't set the barn
afire；〃 she wailed。
〃No danger of that； I guess。 No； Rachel； you 'tend to your supper。
I don't need you。〃
He tramped out into the hall and the door closed behind him。 Mrs。
Snow turned apologetically to her puzzled grandson； who was
entirely at a loss to know what the trouble was about。
〃You see； Albert；〃 she hesitatingly explained； 〃LabanMr。 Keeler
the man who drove you down from the depothehe's an awful nice
man and your grandfather thinks the world and all of him； butbut
every once in a while he Oh； dear； I don't know how to say it to
you； but〃
Evidently Mrs。 Ellis knew how to say it； for she broke into the
conversation and said it then and there。
〃Every once in a while he gets tipsy；〃 she snapped。 〃And I only
wish I had my fingers this minute in the hair of the scamp that
gave him the liquor。〃
A light broke upon Albert's mind。 〃Oh！ Oh； yes！〃 he exclaimed。
〃I thought he acted a little queer； and once I thought I smelt
Oh； that was why he was eating the peppermints！〃
Mrs。 Snow nodded。 There was a moment of silence。 Suddenly the
housekeeper； who had resumed her seat in compliance with Captain
Zelotes' order； slammed back her chair and stood up。
〃I've hated the smell of peppermint for twenty…two year；〃 she
declared； and went out into the kitchen。 Albert； looking after
her； felt his grandmother's touch upon his sleeve。
〃I wouldn't say any more about it before her；〃 she whispered。
〃She's awful sensitive。〃
Why in the world the housekeeper should be particularly sensitive
because the man who had driven him from the station ate peppermint
was quite beyond the boy's comprehension。 Nor could he thoroughly
understand why the suspicion of Mr。 Keeler's slight inebriety
should cause such a sensation in the Snow household。 He was
inclined to think the tipsiness rather funny。 Of course alcohol
was lectured against often enough at school and on one occasion a
member of the senior classa twenty…year…old 〃hold…over〃 who
should have graduated the fall beforehad been expelled for having
beer in his room； but during his long summer vacations； spent
precariously at hotels or in short visits to his father's friends；
young Speranza had learned to be tolerant。 Tolerance was a
necessary virtue in the circle surrounding Speranza Senior； in his
later years。 The popping of corks at all hours of the night and
bottles full； half full or empty； were sounds and sights to which
Albert had been well accustomed。 When one has more than once seen
his own father overcome by conviviality and the affair treated as
a huge joke； one is not inclined to be too censorious when others
slip。 What if the queer old Keeler guy was tight？ Was that
anything to raise such a row about？
Plainly； he decided； this was a strange place； this household of
his grandparents。 His premonition that they might be 〃Rubes〃
seemed likely to have been well founded。 What would his father
his great； world…famous fatherhave thought of them？ 〃Bah！ these
Yankee bourgeoisie！〃 He could almost hear him say it。 Miguel
Carlos Speranza detestedin privatethe Yankee bourgeoisie。 He
took their money and he married one of their daughters； but he
detested them。 During his last years； when the money had not
flowed his way as copiously； the detest grew。
〃You won't say anything about Laban before Mrs。 Ellis； will you；
Albert？〃 persisted Mrs。 Snow。 〃She's dreadful sensitive。 I'll
explain by and by。〃
He promised； repressing a condescending smile。
Both the housekeeper and Captain Snow returned in a few minutes。
The latter reported that the mare was safe and sound in her stall。
〃The harness was mostly on the floor； but Jess was all right； thank
the Lord；〃 observed the captain。
〃Jess is our horse's name； Albert；〃 explained Mrs。 Snow。 〃That is；
her name's Jessamine； but Zelotes can't ever seem to say the whole
of any name。 When we first bought Jessamine I named her Magnolia；
but he called her 'Mag' all the time and I COULDN'T stand that。
Have some more preserves； Albert； do。〃
All through the meal Albert was uneasily conscious that his
grandfather was looking at him from under the shaggy brows；
measuring him； estimating him； reading him through and through。 He
resented the scrutiny and the twinkle of sardonic humor which； it
seemed to him； accompanied it。 His way of handling his knife and
fork； his clothes； his tie； his manner of eating and drinking and
speaking； all these Captain Zelotes seemed to note and appraise。
But whatever the results of his scrutiny and appraisal might be
he kept them entirely to himself。 When he addressed his grandson
directly； which was not often； his remarks were trivial commonplaces
and； although pleasant enough； were terse and to the point。
Several times Mrs。 Snow would have questioned Albert concerning the
life at school； but each time her husband interfered。
〃Not now； not now； Mother；〃 he said。 〃The boy ain't goin' to run
away to…night。 He'll be here to…morrow and a good many to…morrows；
if〃and here again Albert seemed to detect the slight sarcasm and
the twinkle〃if we old…fashioned 'down easters' ain't too common
and every…day for a high…toned young chap like him to put up with。
No； no； don't make him talk to…night。 Can't you see he's so sleepy
that it's only the exercise of openin' his mouth to eat that keeps
his eyes from shuttin'？ How about that； son？〃
It was perfectly true。 The long train ride； the excitement； the
cold wait on the station platform and the subsequent warmth of the
room； the hearty meal； all these combined to make for sleepiness
so overpowering that several times the boy had caught his nose
descending toward his plate in a most inelegant nod。 But it hurt
his pride to think his grandfather had noticed his condition。
〃Oh； I'm all right；〃 he said； with dignity。
Somehow the dignity seemed to have little effect upon Captain
Zelotes。
〃Umyes； I know；〃 observed the latter dryly； 〃but I guess likely
you'll be more all right in bed。 Mother； you'll show Albert where
to turn in； won't you？ There's your suitcase out there in the
hall； son。 I fetched it in from the barn just now。〃
Mrs。 Snow ventured a protest。
〃Oh； Zelotes；〃 she cried； 〃ain't we goin' to talk with him at ALL？
Why； there is so much to say！〃
〃'Twill say just as well to…morrow mornin'； Mother； better； because
we'll have all day to say it in。 Get the lamp。〃
Albert looked at his watch。
〃Why； it's only half…past nine；〃 he said。
Captain Zelotes； who also had been looking at the watch； which was
a very fine and very expensive one； smiled slightly。 〃Half…past
nine some nights；〃 he said； 〃is equal to half…past twelve others。
This is one of the some。 There； there； son； you're so sleepy this
minute that you've got a list to starboard。 When