Mr. Hamilton turned to their host. "You'll excuse Shadrach, won't you,
Judge," he said, apologetically. "He don't mean nothin' wicked, really.
And he feels as bad as I do about Marcellus's bein' took."

"Course I do!" put in the Captain. "Zoeth's always scared to death for
fear I'm bound to the everlastin' brimstone. He forgets I've been to sea
a good part of my life and that a feller has to talk strong aboard ship.
Common language may do for keepin' store, but it don't get a vessel
nowheres; the salt sort of takes the tang out of it, seems so. I'm
through for the present, Zoeth. I'll keep the rest till I meet the swab
that loaded up that chair for me."

The Judge laughed again. Then he opened his desk and took from a drawer
two folded papers.

"Gentlemen," he said, gravely, "I asked you to come here with me because
there is an important matter, a very important matter, which I, as
Captain Hall's legal adviser, must discuss with you."

Captain Shadrach and Zoeth looked at each other. The former tugged at
his beard.

"Hum!" he mused. "Somethin' to do with Marcellus's affairs, is it?"

"Yes."

"Want to know! And somethin' to do with me and Zoeth?"

"Yes, with both of you. This," holding up one of the folded papers, "is
Captain Hall's will. I drew it for him a year ago and he has appointed