"No. I didn't never see him. But I've heard Cap'n Abe talk about
him--standin' off an' on as ye might say--for twenty year and more."

"Odd you never met him, isn't it?"

"No. I never happened on Cap'n Am'zon when I was sea-farin'. And he
ain't never been to Cardhaven to my knowledge."

"Never been here?" murmured Lawford Tapp more than a little surprised.
"Wasn't he born and brought up here?"

"No. Neither was Cap'n Abe. The Silts flourish, as ye might say--or,
useter 'fore the fam'ly sort o' petered out--down New Bedford way. Cap'n
Abe come here twenty-odd year back and opened this store. He's as salt
as though he'd been a haddocker since he was weaned. But he's always
stuck mighty close inshore. Nobody ever seen him in a boat--'ceptin' out
in a dory fishin' for tomcod in the bay, and on a mighty ca'm day at
that."

"How does it come that he is called captain, then?" Lawford asked,
impressed by Cap'n Beecher's scorn of the storekeeper.

The captain reflected, his jaws working spasmodically. "It's easy 'nough
to pick up skipper's title longshore. 'Most ev'ry man owns some kind of
a boat; and o' course a man's cap'n of his own craft--or 'doughter be.
But I reckon Abe Silt aimed his title honest 'nough."

"How?" urged Lawford.

"When Abe fust come here to Cardhaven there was still two-three wrecking