seem to heave the whole of 'em there. If things don't pick up pretty
soon, I don't know--I don't know--and I don't dare think," he added
despairingly.

The sheet of paper he was holding rattled as his hand shook. Captain
Shad scowled.

"If we didn't have our winter goods to buy," he muttered. "Our credit's
good, that's one comfort."

"It is up to now, because the Boston folks don't know. But WE know, or
we're afraid we know, and that makes it worse. How can we go on buyin'
from folks that has stood our friends ever since we went into business,
knowin' as we do that--"

His partner interrupted.

"We don't know anything yet," he declared. "Keep a stiff upper lip,
Zoeth. Nine chances to one we'll weather it all right. WHAT a summer
this has been! And when I think," he added savagely, "of how well we got
along afore those new stores came it makes me nigh crazy. I'll go out
with a card of matches some night and burn 'em down. Damn pirates!
Callin' themselves good Cape Cod names--names that don't belong to 'em!
Baker's Bazaar! Ugh! Rheinstein's Robbers' Roost would be nigher the
truth. . . . Say, Zoeth, we mustn't hint a word to Mary-'Gusta about
this. We've got cash enough on hand to pay her clearance charges up
there at school, ain't we?"

"Yes, Shadrach, I've looked out for that. I don't know's I'd ought to.
The money maybe had ought to go somewheres else, but--but right or wrong