I am writing this to you because I have known you pretty much all my
life and you are the only real friends I have got in this world.


"I was his friend, or I tried to be," commented Baxter, interrupting
his reading; "but he considered you two, and always spoke of you, as his
oldest and nearest friends. He has often told me that he knew he could
depend on you. Now listen."

The letter went on to state that the writer realized his health was
no longer good, that he was likely to die at any time and was quite
reconciled.


I should be glad to go [Captain Hall had written], if it was not for one
thing. Since my wife was took from me I care precious little for life
and the sooner it ends the better. That is the way I look at it. But I
have a stepdaughter, Mary Augusta Lathrop, and for her sake I must stick
to the ship as long as I can. I have not been the right kind of father
to her. I have tried, but I don't seem to know how and I guess likely
I was too old to learn. When I go she won't have a relation to look out
for her. That has troubled me a lot and I have thought about it more
than a little, I can tell you. And so I have decided to leave her in
your care. I am hoping you will take charge of her and bring her up to
be a good girl and a good woman, same as her mother was before her. I
know you two will be just the ones for the job.


"Jumpin' fire!" broke in Shadrach, the irrepressible.