wine merchant's and get a dozen of champagne, and a dozen of

some sweet wine, rich and sticky and strong, something in the

port or madeira line, the best in the store. Then I'd bear up for

a toy-store, and lay out twenty dollars in assorted toys for the

piccaninnies; and then to a confectioner's and take in cakes and

pies and fancy bread, and that stuff with the plums in it; and

then to a news-agency and buy all the papers, all the picture

ones for the kids, and all the story papers for the old girl

about the Earl discovering himself to Anna-Mariar and the escape

of the Lady Maude from the private madhouse; and then I'd tell

the fellow to drive home.'

'There ought to be some syrup for the kids,' suggested Herrick;

'they like syrup.'

'Yes, syrup for the kids, red syrup at that!' said the captain.

'And those things they pull at, and go pop, and have measly

poetry inside. And then I tell you we'd have a thanksgiving day

and Christmas tree combined. Great Scott, but I would like to

see the kids! I guess they would light right out of the house,

when they saw daddy driving up. My little Adar--'

The captain stopped sharply.

'Well, keep it up!' said the clerk.

'The damned thing is, I don't know if they ain't starving!'

cried the captain.

'They can't be worse off than we are, and that's one comfort,'

returned the clerk. 'I defy the devil to make me worse off.'

It seemed as if the devil heard him. The light of the moon had

been some time cut off and they had talked in darkness. Now

there was heard a roar, which drew impetuously nearer; the face

<<BackPagesTo menuNext>>