"Anyhow," said Tumm, moodily, "it didn't last long."
The fire crackled a genial accompaniment to the tale of Slow Jim
Tool....
* * * * *
"Well, now," Tumm continued, "Slow Jim Tool an' Archibald Shott o' Jump
Harbor was cast away in the _Dimple_ at Creep Head o' the Labrador.
Bein' wrecked seamen, they come up in the mail-boat; an' it so happened,
sir, that 'long about Run-by-Guess, with the fog thick, an' dusk near
come, Archibald Short managed t' steal a Yankee's gold watch an' sink un
in the pocket o' Slow Jim Tool. 'Twas s'prisin' t' Jim. Fact is, when
they cotched un with the prope'ty, sir, Jim 'lowed he never knowed when
he done it--never knowed he _could_ do it. 'Ecod!' says he; 'now that
s'prises _me_. I mus' o' stole that there watch in my sleep. Well,
well!' S'prised un a deal more, they says, when a brass-buttoned
constable come aboard at Tilt Cove' an' took un in charge in the Queen's
name. '_In the Queen's name!_' says Jim. 'What's that? In the Queen's
name? Dear man!' says he; 'but this is awful! An' I never knows when I
done it!' 'Twas more s'prisin' still when they haled un past Jump
Harbor. 'Why,' says he, 'I wants t' go home an' see 'Lizabeth All. Why,'
says he, 'I got t' talk it over with 'Lizabeth!' 'You can't,' says the
constable. 'But,' says Jim, 'I _got_ t'. Why,' says he, 'I always
_have_.' 'Now,' says the constable, 'don't you make no trouble.' So Jim
was s'prised again; but when the judge give un a year t' repent an' make
brooms in chokee t' St. John's he was _so_ s'prised, they says, that he
never come to his senses till he landed back at Jump Harbor an' was
kissed seven times by 'Lizabeth All in the sight o' the folk o' that
place. An' even after that, I'm told--ay, through a season's fishin'--he
pondered a deal more'n was good for un. Ashore an' afloat, 'twas all the
same. 'Well, well!' says he. 'Dear man! I wonders how I done it. Arch,'
says he, 'you was aboard; can't _you_ throw no light?' Arch 'lowed he
might an he but tried, but wouldn't. 'Might interfere,' says he, 'atween
you an' 'Lizabeth.' 'But,' says Jim, 'as a friend?'
"'Well,' says Arch, ''riginal sin.'
"''Riginal sin!' says Jim. 'Dear man! but I mus' have got my share!'
"'You is,' says Arch. ''Tis plain in your face. You looks low and
vicious. 'Riginal sin, Jim,' says he, 'marks a man.'
"'Think so?' says Jim. 'I'm sorry I got it.'
"'An' look you!' says Arch; 'you better be wonderful careful about
unshippin' wickedness on 'Lizabeth.'
"'On 'Lizabeth?' says Jim. 'What you mean? God knows,' says he, 'I'd not
hurt 'Lizabeth.'
"'Then ponder,' says Arch. ''Riginal sin is made you a thief an' a
jailbird. Ponder, Jim--ponder!'
"Now," cries Tumm, in an outburst of feeling, "what you think 'Lizabeth
All done?"