give me a rest."

He selected a new brush and went on with his painting. Captain
Hunniwell laughed heartily. Then, all at once, his laughter ceased
and his face assumed a troubled expression.

"Jed," he ordered, "leave off daubin' at that wooden doll baby for
a minute, will you? I want to talk to you. I want to ask you what
you think I'd better do. I know what Gab Bearse-- Much obliged
for that name, Jed; 'Gab's' the best name on earth for that
critter--I know what Gab came in here to talk about. 'Twas about
me and my bein' put on the Exemption Board, of course. That was
it, wan't it? Um-hm, I knew 'twas. I was the 'this' in his 'this
and that.' And Phin Babbitt was the 'that'; I'll bet on it. Am I
right?"

Winslow nodded.

"Sure thing!" continued the captain. "Well, there 'tis. What am I
goin' to do? When they wanted me to take the job in the first
place I kind of hesitated. You know I did. 'Twas bound to be one
of those thankless sort of jobs that get a feller into trouble,
bound to be. And yet--and yet--well, SOMEBODY has to take those
kind of jobs. And a man hadn't ought to talk all the time about
how he wishes he could do somethin' to help his country, and then
lay down and quit on the first chance that comes his way, just
'cause that chance ain't--ain't eatin' up all the pie in the state
so the Germans can't get it, or somethin' like that. Ain't that
so?"