"I was mighty glad when the sailors hailed from the shore and Ben had to
go. He 'most cried when he said good-by, and went away stepping high and
bringing his heels down hard. I watched the dingey row off--the tide
was out, so there was barely water for her to get clear--and then I went
back home to think. And I thought all the afternoon.

"Two and two made four, anyway I could add it up, but 'twas all
suspicion and no real proof, that was the dickens of it. I couldn't
speak to Phoebe Ann; she wouldn't b'lieve me if I did. I couldn't
telegraph Cap'n Eben at Provincetown to come home that night; I'd have
to tell him the whole thing and I knew his temper, so, for Barbara's
sake, 'twouldn't do. I couldn't be at the shore to stop the launch
leaving. What right had I to stop another man's launch, even--

"No, 'twas up to me, and I thought and thought till after supper-time.
And then I had a plan--a risky chance, but a chance, just the same. I
went up to the store and bought four feet of medium-size rubber hose and
some rubber tape, same as they sell to bicycle fellers in the summer.
'Twas almost dark when I got back in sight of my shanty, and instead of
going to it I jumped that board fence that me and Prince had negotiated
for, hustled along the path past the notice boards, and went down the
bluff on t'other side of Davidson's p'int. And there in the deep hole
by the end of the little pier, out of sight of the house on shore, was
Allie's launch. By what little light there was left I could see the
brass rails shining.

"But I didn't stop to admire 'em. I give one look around. Nobody was
in sight. Then I ran down the pier and jumped aboard. Almost the first
thing I put my hand on was what I was looking for--the bilge-pump. 'Twas