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〃Be ye？ Oh； you're the new assistant from Boston。 You'll do。 All
I want to do is unload himJob； I meanand leave a couple bundles
of fly paper Seth ordered。 Here！〃 lowering the tailboard and
climbing into the wagon； you catch aholt of t'other end of the box；
and I'll shove on this one。 Hush up； Job！ Nobody's goin' to eat
ye'less it's the moskeeters。 Now； then； mister； here he comes。〃
He began pushing the box toward the open end of the wagon。 The
dog's whines and screams and scratchings furnished an accompaniment
almost deafening。
〃Wait！ Stop！ For heaven's sake； wait！〃 shouted Brown。 〃What are
you putting that brute off here for？ I don't want him。〃
〃Yes； you do。 Seth does； anyhow。 Henry G。 made him a present of
Job last time Seth was over to the store。 Didn't he tell ye？〃
Then the substitute assistant remembered。 This was the 〃half…grown
pup〃 Atkins had said was to be brought over by the grocery boy。
This was the creature they were to accept 〃on trial。〃
〃Well； by George！〃 he exclaimed in disgust。
〃Didn't Seth tell ye？〃 asked the boy again。
〃Yes。 。 。 。 Yes； I believe he did。 But〃
〃Then stand by while I unload him。 Here he comes now。 H'ist him
down easy as you can。〃
That was not too easy； for the end of the box slid from the tail…
board to the ground with a thump that shook the breath from the
prisoner within。 But the breath came back again and furnished
motive power for more and worse howls and whines。 Joshua pricked up
his ears and trotted to the further end of his halter。
〃There！〃 said Henry G。's boy； jumping to the ground beside the box；
〃that's off my hands； thank the mercy！ Here's your fly paper。 Five
dozen sheets。 You must have pretty nigh as many flies down here as
you have moskeeters。 Well； so long。 I got to be goin'。〃
〃Wait a minute；〃 pleaded Brown。 〃What shall I do with thiser
blessed dog？ Is he savage？ Why did you bring him in a cratelike
a piano？〃
〃'Cause 'twas the easiest way。 You couldn't tie him up； not in a
cart no bigger'n this。 Might's well tie up an elephant。 Besides；
he won't stay tied up nowheres。 Busted more clotheslines than I've
got fingers and toes； that pup has。 He needs a chain cable to keep
him to his moorin's。 Don't ye； Job； you old earthquake？ Hey？〃
He pounded on the box； and the earthquake obliged with a renewed
series of shocks and shakings。
The lightkeeper's assistant smiled in spite of himself。
〃Who named him Job？〃 he asked。
〃Henry G。's cousin from Boston。 He said he seemed to be always
sufferin' and fillin' the land with roarin's； like Job in the Bible。
So； bein' as he hadn't no name except cuss words； that one stuck。 I
cal'late Henry G。's glad enough to get rid of him。 Ho！ ho！〃
〃Did Mr。 Atkins see histhisdid he see his present before he
accepted it？〃
〃No。 That's the best part of the joke。 Well；〃 clambering to his
seat and picking up the reins； 〃I've got five mile of sand and
moskeeters to navigate； so I've got to be joggin'。 Oh； say！ goin'
to leave him in the box there； be ye？〃
〃I guess so； for the present。〃
〃Well； I wouldn't leave him too long。 He's stronger'n Samson and
the Philippines rolled together； and he's humped up his back so much
on the way acrost that he's started most of the nails in them slats
over top of him。 I tell ye what you do： Give him a bone or a chunk
of tough meat to chaw on。 Then he'll rest easy for a spell。
Goodbye。 I wish I could stay and see Seth when he looks at his
present； but I can't。 Gid…dap； January。〃
The grocery wagon rolled out of the yard。 The forsaken Job sent a
roar of regret after him。 Also； he 〃humped us his back；〃 and the
nails holding the slats in place started and gave alarmingly。 John
Brown hastened to the house in quest of a bone。
CHAPTER V
THE GOING OF JOSHUA
He found one； after a time； the relic of a ham； with a good deal of
meat on it。 Atkins； economical soul； would have protested in horror
against the sinful waste； but his helper would cheerfully have
sacrificed a whole hog to quiet the wails from the box in the yard。
He pushed the ham bone between the slats； and Job received it
greedily。 The howls and whines ceased and were succeeded by
gnawings and crunchings。 Brown returned to the kitchen to inspect
his neglected fire。
This time the fire was not out； but it burned slowly。 The water in
the wash boiler was only lukewarm。 The big lobster in the net
balanced on the chair clashed his claws wickedly as the substitute
assistant approached。 The door had been left open； and the room
hummed with flies。 Brown shut the door and； while waiting for the
water to heat； separated a dozen sheets of the sticky fly paper and
placed them in conspicuous places。 He wondered as he did so what
some of his former acquaintances would say if they could see him。
HeHEa cook； and a roustabout； a dishwasher and a scrubber of
brass at Eastboro Twin…Lights！ How long must he stay there？ For
months at least。 He should be thankful that he was there； thankful
that there was such a place； where no one came and where he could
remain until he was forgotten。 He was thankful； of course he was。
But what a life to live！
He wondered what Atkins thought of him； how much the lightkeeper
guessed concerning his identity and his story。 He could not guess
within miles of the truth； but he must indulge in some curious
speculations。 Then he fell to wondering about Seth himself。 What
was it that the light…keeper was hiding from the world？ Odd that
two people； each possessing a secret； should come together at that
lonely spot。 Where was it that Seth went almost every afternoon？
Had these daily absences any connection with the great mystery？
He distributed the sheets of fly paper about the room； in places
where he judged them likely to do the most good； and had the
satisfaction of seeing a number of the tormenting insects caught
immediately。 Then he tested the water in the boiler。 It was
warmer； even hot； but not boiling。
He had almost forgotten the dog； but now was reminded by the animal
itself； who； having apparently swallowed the bone whole； began once
more to howl lugubriously。 Brown decided to let him howl for the
present； and； going into the living…room； picked up an old magazine
and began listlessly to read。
The howls from the yard continued； swelled to a crescendo of shrieks
and then suddenly ceased。 A moment later there was a thump and a
mighty scratching at the kitchen door。 The substitute assistant
dropped the magazine and sprang from his chair。
〃Good Lord！〃 he exclaimed； 〃I believe〃
He did not finish the sentence。 There was no need。 If he had any
doubts as to the cause of the racket at the door they were dispelled
by a howl like a fog whistle。 〃Job〃 had escaped from durance vile
and was seeking companionship。
Brown muttered an exclamation of impatience and； opening the door a
very little way； peeped through the crack。 The puphe looked like
a scrawny young lionhailed his appearance with a series of wild
yelps。 His mouth opened like a Mammoth Cave in miniature； and a
foot of red tongue flapped like a danger signal。
〃Get out； you brute！〃 ordered Brown。
Job did not get out。 Instead he yelped again and capered with the
grace of a cow。 His feet and legs seemed to have grown out of
proportion to the rest of him； they were enormous。 Down the length
of his yellow back were three raw furrows which the nails of the box
cover had scraped as he climbed from under them。
〃Nice dog！〃 coaxed the lightkeeper's helper。 〃Nice doggie！ Good
old boy！〃
The good old boy pranced joyfully and made a charge at the door。
Brown slammed it shut just in time。
〃Clear out！〃 he yelled； from behind it。 〃Go away！ Go and lie
down！〃
The answer was a mighty howl of disappointment and an assault on the
door which threatened to shatter the panels。 Job's paws were armed
with claws proportionate to their size。
This would never do。 The paint on that door had been furnished by
the government； and Atkins was very careful of it。 Brown； within；
pounded a protest and again commanded the dog to go and lie down。
Job； without； thumped and scratched and howled louder than ever。 He
had decidedly the best of the duet； and the door was suffering every
second。 Brown picked up the fire shovel and threw the door wide
open。
〃Get out！〃 he roared。 〃Get out or I'll kill you！〃
He brandished the shovel； expecting an assault。 But none came。 It
was evident that Job knew a shovel when he saw it； had encountered
other shovels in the course of his brief young life。 His ears and
tail drooped； and he backed away。
〃Clear out！〃 repeated Brown； advancing threateningly。 With each
step of the advance； Job retreated a corresponding distance。 When
the assistant stopped； he stopped。 Brown lowered the shovel and
looked at him。 The dog grovelled in the sand and whined dolefully。
〃Humph！〃 grunted the young man； 〃I guess you're not as dangerous as
you look。 Stay where you are and keep still。〃
He turned to enter the kitchen； turning again just in time to find
the pup at his heels。 He lifted the shovel； and Job jumped
frantically out of reach；