would sell it and get so fur as fixin' a price on it, let me know, will
you?"

"Captain, what in the world do you want of that land? See here! you
don't want to shut off the Shore Lane, do you?"

"What in time would I want to shut it off for? I use it as much as
anybody, don't I?"

"Then I don't see--"

"Maybe there ain't nothin' TO see. Only, if you decide to sell, let me
know. Yes, and don't sell WITHOUT lettin' me know. Understand?"

"No, I don't."

"Well, you understand enough, I cal'late. All I want you to do is to
promise not to sell that land the Lane's on without speakin' to me fust.
Will you promise that?"

I considered for a moment. "Yes," I said, "I'll promise that. Though I
can't imagine what you're driving at."

"You don't need to. Maybe I'm just drivin' blind; I hope I am. That's
all I wanted to talk about," rising from the settee. "Oh, by the way,"
he added, "your neighborhood's honored just now, ain't it? The King of
New York's arrived, they tell me."

"King of New York? Oh! I see; you mean the Coltons."