The Courage of Captain Plum by James Oliver Curwood
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page 11 of 194 (05%)
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adventure might have for him. So he held his peace. The old man was so
intent in his perusal of the letter that the end of his hooked nose almost scraped the table. He went over the dim, partly obliterated words line by line, chuckling now and then, and apparently utterly oblivious of the other's presence. When he had come to the end he looked up, his eyes glittering with unbounded satisfaction, carefully folded the letter, and handed it to Captain Plum. "That's the best introduction in the world, Captain Plum--the very best! Ho, ho!--it couldn't be better. I'm glad I found it." He chuckled gleefully, and rested his ogreish head in the palms of his skeleton-like hands, his elbows on the table. "So you're going back home--soon?" "I haven't made up my mind yet, Dad," responded Captain Plum, pulling out his pipe and tobacco. "You've read the letter pretty carefully, I guess. What would you do?" "Vermont?" questioned the old man shortly. "That's it." "Well, I'd go, and very soon, Captain Plum, _very_ soon, indeed. Yes, I'd hurry!" The old man jumped up with the quickness of a cat. So sudden was his movement that it startled Captain Plum, and he dropped his tobacco pouch. By the time he had recovered this article his strange companion was back in his seat again holding a leather bag in his hand. Quickly he untied the knot at its top and poured a torrent of glittering gold pieces out upon the table. "Business--business and gold," he gurgled happily, rubbing his thin |
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