"I guess not. John Baxter's sick, but--oh, Lord! Here comes Wingate.
He'll talk for a week."

Seth, panting and excited, was pushing his way toward them, shouting the
Captain's name at the top of his voice.

"Hey, Eri!" he hailed. "I want to know if you'll sign a petition to git
the town a fire ingyne? I've been talkin' to a couple of the s'lectmen
and they--"

"Oh, Mr. Wingate," interrupted Ralph, "Mr. Mullett's been looking for
you. He's over there by the pump, I think."

"Who, Lem Mullett? Is that so! He's jest the feller I want to see. See
you later, Eri."

The Captain grinned appreciatively as the convert to the hand-engine
proposal disappeared.

"That wasn't so bad," he said. "I'm much obliged. Hey! There's the
whistle. Come on, Mr. Hazeltine, if you ain't in a special hurry. Maybe
we WILL need you."

They reached the corner by the post-office to find Dr. Palmer, who had
practiced medicine in Orham since he received his diploma, waiting for
them. Captain Perez, who had discovered the physician on the Nickerson
piazza, was standing close by with his fingers in his mouth, whistling
with the regularity of a foghorn.