Captain Shad laughed heartily. "Shouldn't wonder," he admitted. "Didn't
bring any fly paper along with him, did he? No? Well, that was an
oversight. Maybe he thought fly time was past and gone. He seemed to be
a real nice kind of young feller when he was down here that summer. He's
older now; does he seem that way yet?"

"Why, yes, I think so. I only saw him for a little while."

Isaiah seemed to think it time for him to put in a question.

"Good lookin' as ever, I cal'late, ain't he?" he observed.

Mary was much amused. "Why, I suppose he is," she answered. "But why in
the world are you interested in his good looks, Isaiah?"

Mr. Chase did his best to assume an expression of deep cunning. He
winked at his employers.

"Oh, I ain't interested--not 'special," he declared, "but I didn't know
but SOME folks might be. Ho, ho!"

He roared at his own pleasantry. Captain Shadrach, however, did not
laugh.

"Some folks?" he repeated, tartly. "What are you talkin' about? What
folks?"

"Oh, I ain't sayin' what folks. I'm just sayin' SOME folks. Ho, ho! You
know what I mean, don't you, Mary-'Gusta?"