CHAPTER I

A LAMB FOR THE SACRIFICE


"Perez," observed Captain Eri cheerfully, "I'm tryin' to average up with
the mistakes of Providence."

The Captain was seated by the open door of the dining room, in the
rocker with the patched cane seat. He was apparently very busy doing
something with a piece of fishline and a pair of long-legged rubber
boots. Captain Perez, swinging back and forth in the parlor rocker with
the patch-work cushion, was puffing deliberately at a wooden pipe, the
bowl of which was carved into the likeness of a very rakish damsel with
a sailor's cap set upon the side of her once flaxen head. In response
to his companion's remark he lazily turned his sunburned face toward the
cane-seated rocker and inquired:

"What on airth are you doin' with them boots?"

Captain Eri tied a knot with his fingers and teeth and then held the
boots out at arm's length.

"Why, Perez," he said, "I'm averagin' up, same as I told you. Providence
made me a two-legged critter, and a two-legged critter needs two boots.
I've always been able to find one of these boots right off whenever I
wanted it, but it's took me so plaguey long to find the other one that
whatever wet there was dried up afore I got out of the house. Yesterday
when I wanted to go clammin' I found the left one on the mantelpiece, no