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〃The ship's in your hands； Al；〃 he had said to his grandson。 〃Let
me see how you handle her。〃
So； in spite of Albert's promise； the Calvin lumber was not
delivered on time。 The Reverend gentleman called to ask why。 His
manner was anything but receptive so far as excuses were concerned。
〃Young man；〃 he said loftily； 〃I am accustomed to do business with
business people。 Did you or did you not promise to deliver my
order yesterday？〃
〃Why； yes sir； I promised； but we couldn't do it。 We〃
〃I don't care to know why you didn't do it。 The fact that you did
not is sufficient。 Will that order of mine be delivered to…day？〃
〃If it is a possible thing； Mr。 Calvin； it〃
〃Pardon me。 Will it be delivered？〃
The Speranza temper was rising。 〃Yes；〃 said the owner of that
temper； succinctly。
〃Does yes mean yes； in this case； or does it mean what it meant
before？〃
〃I have told you why〃
〃Never mind。 Young man； if that lumber is not delivered to…day I
shall cancel the order。 Do you understand？〃
Albert swallowed hard。 〃I tell you； Mr。 Calvin； that it shall be
delivered；〃 he said。 〃And it will be。〃
But delivering it was not so easy。 The team simply could NOT be
taken off the schoolhouse job； fulfillment of a contract was
involved there。 And the other horse had gone lame and Issachar
swore by all that was solemn that the animal must not be used。
〃Let old Calvin wait till to…morrow；〃 said Issy。 〃You can use the
big team then。 And Cap'n Lote'll be home； besides。〃
But Albert was not going to let 〃old Calvin〃 wait。 That lumber was
going to be delivered； if he had to carry it himself； stick by
stick。 He asked Mr。 Price if an extra team might not be hired。
〃Ain't none；〃 said Issy。 〃Besides； where'd your granddad's profits
be if you spent money hirin' extry teams to haul that little mite
of stuff？ I've been in this business a good long spell； and I tell
you〃
He did not get a chance to tell it； for Albert walked off and left
him。 At half…past twelve that afternoon he engaged 〃Vessie〃 Young
christened Sylvester Young and a brother to the driver of the
depot wagonto haul the Calvin lumber in his rickety； fragrant old
wagon。 Simpson Mullencommonly called 〃Simp〃was to help in the
delivery。
Against violent protests from Issy； who declared that Ves Young's
rattle…trap wan't fit to do nothin' but haul fish heads to the
fertilizer factory； the Calvin beams and boards were piled high on
the wagon and with Ves on the driver's seat and Simp perched； like
a disreputable carrion crow on top of the load； the equipage
started。
〃There！〃 exclaimed Albert； with satisfaction。 〃He can't say it
wasn't delivered this time according to promise。〃
〃Godfreys！〃 snorted Issy； gazing after the departing wagon。 〃He
won't be able to say nothin' when he sees that git…upand smells
it。 Ves carts everything in that cart from dead cows to gurry
barrels。 Whew！ I'd hate to have to set on that porch when 'twas
built of that lumber。 And； unless I'm mistook； Ves and Simp had
been havin' a little somethin' strong to take； too。〃
Mr。 Price； as it happened； was not 〃mistook。〃 Mr。 Young had； as
the South Harniss saying used to be； 〃had a jug come down〃 on the
train from Boston that very morning。 The jug was under the seat of
his wagon and its contents had already been sampled by him and by
Simp。 The journey to the Calvin cottage was enlivened by frequent
stops for refreshment。
Consequently it happened that； just as Mrs。 Calvin's gathering of
Welfare Workers had reached the cake and chocolate stage in their
proceedings and just as the Reverend Mr。 Calvin had risen by
invitation to say a few words of encouragement； the westerly wind
blowing in at the open windows bore to the noses and ears of the
assembled faithful a perfume and a sound neither of which was
sweet。
Above the rattle and squeak of the Young wagon turning in at the
Calvin gate arose the voices of Vessie and Simp uplifted in song。
〃'Here's to the good old whiskey； drink 'er daown；'〃 sang Mr。
Young。
〃'Here's to the good old whiskey；
Drink 'er daown！
Here's to the good old whiskey；
It makes you feel so frisky；
Drink 'er'
Git up there； blank blank ye！ What the blankety blank you stoppin'
here for？ Git up！〃
The horse was not the only creature that got up。 Mrs。 Calvin rose
from her chair and gazed in horror at the window。 Her husband；
being already on his feet； could not rise but he broke off short
the opening sentence of his 〃few words〃 and stared and listened。
Each Welfare Worker stared and listened also。
〃Git up； you blankety blank blank；〃 repeated Ves Young； with
cheerful enthusiasm。 Mr。 Mullen； from the top of the load of
lumber； caroled dreamily on：
〃'Here's to the good old rum；
Drink 'er daown！
Here's to the good old rum；
Drink 'er daown！
Here's to the good old rum；
Ain't you glad that you've got some？
Drink 'er daown！ Drink 'er daown！
Drink 'er daown！'〃
And floating； as it were； upon the waves of melody came the odor of
the Young wagon； an odor combining deceased fish and late lamented
cow and goodness knows what beside。
The dissipated vehicle stopped beneath the parlor windows of the
Calvin cottage。 Mr。 Young called to his assistant。
〃Here we be； Simp！〃 he yelled。 〃A…a…ll ashore that's goin' ashore！
Wake up there； you unmentionably described old rum barrel and help
unload this everlastingly condemned lumber。〃
Mr。 Calvin rushed to the window。 〃What does this mean？〃 he
demanded； in frothing indignation。
Vessie waved at him reassuringly。 〃'Sall right； Mr。 Calvin；〃 he
shouted。 〃Here's your lumber from Ze…lotes Snow and Co。； South
Harniss； Mass。； U。 S。 A。 'Sall right。 Let 'er go； Simp！ Let 'er
blankety…blank go！〃
Mr。 Mullen responded with alacrity and a whoop。 A half dozen
boards crashed to the ground beneath the parlor windows。 Mrs。
Calvin rushed to her husband's side。
〃This is DREADFUL； Seabury！〃 she cried。 〃Send those creatures and
and that horrible wagon away at once。〃
The Reverend Calvin tried to obey orders。 He commanded Mr。 Young
to go away from there that very moment。 Vessie was surprised。
〃Ain't this your lumber？〃 he demanded。
〃It doesn't make any difference whether it is or not； I〃
〃Didn't you tell Z。 Snow and Co。 that this lumber'd got to be
delivered to…day or you'd cancel the order？〃
〃Never mind。 That is my business； sir。 You〃
〃Hold on！ Ho…o…ld on！ _I_ got a business； too。 My business is
deliverin' what I'm paid to deliver。 Al Speranzy he says to me：
'Ves；' he says； 'if you don't deliver that lumber to old man Calvin
to…day you don't get no money； see。 Will you deliver it？' Says I；
'You bet your crashety…blank life I'll （hic） d'liver it！ What I
say I'll do； I'll do！' And I'm deliverin' it； ain't I？ Hey？
Ain't I？ Well； then； what the〃 And so forth and at length；
while Mrs。 Calvin collapsed half fainting in an easy…chair； and
horrified Welfare Workers covered their earsand longed to cover
their noses。
The lumber was delivered that day。 Its delivery was； from the
viewpoint of Messrs。 Young and Mullen； a success。 The spring
meeting of the Welfare Workers was not a success。
The following day Mr。 Calvin called at the office of Z。 Snow and
Co。 He had things to say and said them。 Captain Zelotes； who had
returned from Boston； listened。 Then he called his grandson。
〃Tell him what you've just told me； Mr。 Calvin；〃 he said。
The reverend gentleman told it； with added details。
〃And in my opinion； if you'll excuse me； Captain Snow；〃 he said； in
conclusion； 〃this young man knew what he was doing when he sent
those drunken scoundrels to my house。 He did it purposely； I am
convinced。〃
Captain Zelotes looked at him。
〃Why？〃 he asked。
〃Why； becausebecause ofof what I said to himererwhen I
called here yesterday morning。 HeI presume he took offense and
and this outrage is the result。 I am convinced that〃
〃Wait a minute。 What did you say for him to take offense at？〃
〃I demanded that order should be delivered as promised。 I am
accustomed to do business with business men and〃
〃Hold on just a minute more； Mr。 Calvin。 We don't seem to be
gettin' at the clam in this shell as fast as we'd ought to。 Al；
what have you got to say about all this business？〃
Albert was white； almost as white as when he fought Sam Thatcher；
but as he stood up to Sam so also did he face the irate clergyman。
He told of the latter's visit to the office； of the threat to
cancel the order unless delivery was promised that day； of how his
promise to deliver was exacted； of his effort to keep that promise。
〃I HAD to deliver it； Grandfather；〃 he said hotly。 〃He had all but
called me a liar andand by George； I wasn't going to〃
His grandfather held up a warning hand。
〃Sshh！ Ssh！〃 he said。 〃Go on with your yarn； boy。〃
Albert told of the lame horse； of his effort to hire another team；
and finally how in desperation he had engaged Ves Young as a last
resort。 The captain's face was serious but there was the twinkle
under his heavy brows。 He pulled at his