"There, there, child," he said. "No one's going to hurt you."

"Yes--yes, they are. Mrs. Hobbs said she shouldn't wonder if he knocked
my--my head right off."

"Knocked your head off! Who?"

"Him."

She raised her hand and pointed a shaking finger straight at Captain
Shadrach.

All three of her hearers were surprised, of course, but in the case of
the Captain himself amazement was coupled with righteous indignation.

"Wha-what?" he stammered. "Who said so? What kind of talk's that? Said I
was goin' to knock your head off? I was?"

Baxter laughed. "No, no, Mary-'Gusta," he said; "you're mistaken. Mrs.
Hobbs couldn't have said any such thing. You're mistaken, dear."

"No, I ain't," with another sob; "she did say so. She said he would
knock my head--ah--ah--off and--and put me in jail, too. And I didn't
mean to do it; honest, truly I didn't."

The Judge looked at his companions and shook his head as if the
conundrum was beyond his guessing. Captain Shad groaned.

"By fire!" he ejaculated. "All hands have gone loony, young-ones and
all. And," with conviction, "I'm on the road myself."