Mary had news to tell when she reached South Harniss. It was listened
to with attention, if not entirely in silence. Captain Shadrach's
ejaculations of "You don't say!" "I want to know!" and "Jumpin' fire,
how you talk!" served as punctuation marks during the narration. When
she had finished her story, she said:

"And now, Uncle Zoeth and Uncle Shad--now that you've heard the whole of
it, and know what my plan is, what do you think of it?"

Both answers were characteristic. Zoeth drew a long breath.

"The Almighty sent you to us, Mary-'Gusta," he vowed. "There was a time
a little spell ago when I begun to think He'd pretty nigh deserted us. I
was almost discouraged and it shook my trust--it shook my trust. But now
I can see He was just tryin' us out and in His good time He sent you to
haul us off the shoals. He'll do it, too; I know it and I'll thank Him
tonight on my knees."

Shadrach shook his head. "By fire!" he cried. "Mary-'Gusta, I always
said you was a wonder. You've given us a chance to get clear of the
breakers, anyhow, and that's somethin' we'd never have done ourselves.
Now, if you can collect that money from Jeremiah Clifford I'll--I'll--I
swan to man I'll believe anything's possible, even Jonah's swallowin'
the whale."

"Oh, Shadrach!" protested his partner. "If you wouldn't be so
irreverent!"

"All right, I'll behave. But it's just as I say: if Mary-'Gusta can get
Jerry Clifford to pay up I'll swallow Jonah and the whale, too. 'Twas