style of the Italian Renaissance.

The villa in question had been built by I. Tapp, the Salt Water Taffy
King, and Lawford Tapp, only son of the house, was one of the audience in
Cap'n Abe's store.

"Cap'n Amazon said," boomed the storekeeper a good deal like the
fishfly--"Cap'n Amazon said the _Posy Lass_ was loaded with lumber and
her cargo's 'bout all that kep' her afloat as fur as Hat'ras. Then the
smashin' big seas that come aboard settled her right down like a wounded
duck.

"The deck load went o' course; and about ev'rything else was cleaned off
the decks that warn't bolted to 'em. The seas rose up and picked off the
men, one after t'other, like a person'd clean off a beach plum bush."

"I shouldn't wonder," spoke up Cap'n Beecher, "if we seen some weather
'fore morning."

He was squinting through the doorway at an azure and almost speckless
sky. There was an uneasy shuffling of boots. One of the boys from The
Beaches giggled. Cap'n Abe--and the fishfly--boomed on together, the
storekeeper evidently visualizing the scene he narrated and not the
half-lighted and goods-crowded shop. At its best it was never well
illumined. Had the window panes been washed there was little chance of
the sunshine penetrating far save by the wide open door. On either hand
as one entered were the rows of hanging oilskins, storm boots,
miscellaneous clothing and ship chandlery that made up only a part of
Cap'n Abe's stock.