"Yes, I am sure you could."

Zoeth rose.

"Come on, Shadrach," he said, "let's go."

The Captain stared at him.

"Go?" he repeated. "Where? Home, do you mean?"

"No, not yet. I mean over to Marcellus's to see that little girl."

"Zoeth Hamilton! Do you mean to tell me--What do you want to see her
for? Do you want to make it harder for her and for us and for all hands?
What good is seein' her goin' to do? Ain't it twice as easy to say no
now and be done with it?"

"I suppose likely 'twould be, but it wouldn't be right Marcellus asked
us to do this thing for him and--"

"Jumpin' Judas! ASKED us! Do you mean to say you're thinkin' of doin'
what he asked? Are you loony, too? Are you--"

"Shh, Shadrach! He asked us, as a last favor, to take charge of his
girl. I feel as you do that we can't do it, 'tain't sensible nor
possible for us to do it, but--"

"There ain't any buts."

"But the very least we can do is go and see her and talk to her."