"I wish you hadn't," mourned his wife; "he's as good-meaning a man
as there is in town, even if he is a little light-headed. He's always
given me good trades, and his st'ilyards don't cheat on rags."

The old mariner was evidently preparing a stinging reply, but a knock
on the door interrupted him. Louada Murilla admitted three men, who
marched in solemnly, one behind the other, all beaming with great
cordiality. Cap'n Sproul, not yet out of the doldrums, simply
glowered and grunted as they took seats.

Then one of them, whom Sproul knew as Ludelphus Murray, the local
blacksmith, arose and cleared his throat with ominous formality.

"It's best to hammer while the iron is hot, Cap'n," he said. "It won't
take many clips o' the tongue to tell you what we've come for. We
three here are a committee from the Smyrna Ancient and Honer'ble
Firemen's Association to notify you that at a meetin' last ev'nin'
you was unanimously elected a member of that organization, and--"

"Oh, Aaron!" cried Louada Murilla, ecstatically. "How glad I am this
honor has been given to you! My own father belonged."

"And," continued Murray, with a satisfied smile, and throwing back
his shoulders as one who brings great tidings, "it has been realized
for a long time that there ain't been the discipline in the
association that there ought to be. We have now among us in our midst
one who has commanded men and understands how to command men; one
who has sailed the ragin' deep in times of danger, and--and, well,
a man that understands how to go ahead and take the lead in tittlish