STARTING SOMETHING
It was long before this that the lightkeeper and his sister had been put
in possession of Jethro Potts' personal estate by Judge Waddams. The
nine days' wonder of that happening was past for Clinkerport folk, and
as the old couple made no splurge with their fortune, the neighbors put
aside the matter for fresher gossip.
With a stern hand Miss Heppy had put down incipient rebellion on her
brother's part. The legacy added to what they already had in the bank
made "just a little bit more."
"And that's purt' average unsatisfying," complained Tobias on occasion.
"You mean to tell me, Tobias Bassett, that it ain't a satisfying feeling
to know you got nigh eight thousand dollars in the bank?"
"It's jest so much more of a temptation to Arad Thompson," sighed her
brother. "Dunno as we'd be found guiltless if the bank did bust and
Arad Thompson should run off with the funds."
"I cal'late he won't run far in that wheel chair," said Heppy, perhaps
with additional confidence because of the bank president's affliction.
However, their simple minds could not fail to be fixed upon the nest-egg
a good part of the time. When one has worked and scraped to get together
a few dollars over a long stretch of years, the sudden access of
comparative riches cannot fail to become and continue to be a very
important topic of thought.
Whenever Tobias took his pay check to the bank and drew the cash needed
for their household expenses, he secretly desired to ask the cashier,
Mr. Bentley, to let him see that eight thousand in real money so as to
be sure the bank was still safely guarding it.
Tobias usually went to Clinkerport in the sloop _Marybird_ on these
marketing expeditions, now that the weather was good. Conny Degger on a
certain occasion went with him.
Degger's salvage from the wrecked motor-boat had been an oar, one
seat-cushion, and a broken pennant staff. In other words the craft had
been a total loss. And this fact appeared to worry the boarder
considerably.
He paid his weekly stipend of four dollars to Miss Heppy with admirable
promptness, and he had sent for a fairly well-filled trunk, so that he
made a presentable appearance in public. But he seemed to be, as Tobias
had hinted to Ralph, not overburdened with money.
At least, he spent little in the sight of the lightkeeper. He did not
even treat the latter to a good cigar, as might have been expected when
Tobias gave him passage in the _Marybird_ to and from Clinkerport.
"He ain't no three-minute egg, that's sure," was the lightkeeper's
comment to his sister. "He's hard-boiled all right."
Nor did Degger seem to make himself popular with the loafers around the
Clinkerport Inn and the livery stable, as so many of the youthful summer
visitors did. On one occasion, however, Tobias heard, and saw the
boarder in earnest conference with a man who seemed to be quite well
acquainted in Clinkerport, although he was not a resident.
"Well, Conny, take it from me," said this individual, "somebody has got
to pay for that motor-boat. When a fellow treats me right I'm the
easiest person who ever did another a good turn. But they say patience
runs out of virtue after a while. That's my case exactly."
"But I haven't any money to spare at present, Burtwell," complained
Degger, quite loud enough for the lightkeeper to hear.
"Get busy then and find some. How do you manage to live, I want to
know?"
"On expectations," Degger rejoined airily.
"Huh! I've seen her. She _looks_ all to the good," Burtwell said
coarsely. "Folks rich, I suppose?"
"As cream," admitted the optimistic Degger.
"And you expect to make a killing, Con?"
"I fancy I am not altogether wasting my time," the younger man drawled
in a tone that made Tobias want to kick him.
"Well," Burtwell said, "I can't afford to wait forever for the money I
had to advance on that motor-boat transaction. I tell you there is a
limit to my patience. But there may be a way for you to help me--and
yourself--to some of the wherewithal."
The lightkeeper took his packages then and passed the couple on the
store porch. He did not glance at Degger, nor did he wait for the
fellow to join him at the dock. He got under way in the _Marybird_ and
let the boarder exercise his legs on the shell road if he wanted to get
back to the Light for supper.
"Something's got to be done," ruminated Tobias, tacking for the cove, in
which he moored the sloop hard by the lighthouse. "This here feller may
be able to rush Lorny an' tie her up to some contract 'fore she knows
what he's about. He seems a'mighty sure of himself.
"I cal'late," pursued the lightkeeper, "that as the angels fear to tread
on this matrimonial path--as Heppy says--it's up to me to do so. I
ain't going to see little Lorny get stung in no marriage game. Nor yet
I don't mean Ralph shall lose all holts. Something's got to be done."
It seemed as though circumstances played into his hands. Tobias was
conceited enough perhaps to believe that he really was foredoomed to act
the part of matchmaker. At any rate, there was Lorna on the shore when
the _Marybird_ drifted in to her moorings, the site of which was marked
by a nail keg.
Tobias picked up the bight of the anchor cable and looped it upon a
becket, taking a turn or two for safety. Then he drew up the dory, put
aboard his purchases, locked the _Marybird's_ cabin, and sculled ashore.
Lorna smiled upon him.
"Nice day, Lorny."
"So it is, Mr. Bassett. Didn't Mr. Degger come home with you?"
"Oh, sugar! I forgot all about him, didn't I? Did you want to see him
partic'lar, Lorny?"
"Just wanted somebody to play with," she confessed.
"Wal! wal! you air to be pitied," he said. "Won't Ralph do?"
She made him a little face, but flushed too.
"Ralph Endicott is no fun any more. He's as grouchy as a sore-headed
bear."
"I want to know!"
"Yes. He's going away soon, anyway, I understand. And I'm glad of it,"
the girl declared.
"Oh, sugar! I suppose that's so," reflected Tobias, filling his pipe.
"Wal, a feller can't always appear chirpy an' lively when things is
going wrong with him."
She flashed him a look of suspicion. "What do you mean by that, Tobias
Bassett?"
"Er--wal, like enough he don't feel any too happy. I give it as my
opinion that none of the Endicotts do, right now. Wal!"
He sighed reflectively, and slowly pulled on his pipe to get it well
alight. Lorna continued to stare at him, a little puzzled frown marring
her brow.
"You are the most mysterious person," she said. "Tell me straight out
what you mean."
"Oh, sugar! I don't guess I need to tell you what Ralph's trouble is."
She flushed more deeply then, and her eyes began to spark. "If you are
hinting that I have anything to do with making Ralph Endicott
unhappy----"
"Not a-tall! Not a-tall!" the lightkeeper hastened to say. "But I
reckoned you'd know full as much about the Endicott's private affairs as
I do."
"Mr. Bassett! what _is_ it?"
"Why, ain't you even heard about it?" exclaimed the old fellow most
innocently. "Didn't nobody tell you how the Endicotts have lost purt'
near all their money? Oh, sugar! ain't you heard?"
"Never!"
"Wal, they do say Henry Endicott has jest about wrecked the family
fortune putterin' with them inventions of his. 'Tain't to be wondered
at. Might have been expected. Foolin' away both time and money.
Yessir!"
Each of these phrases was emitted between puffs of tobacco smoke which
served as a screen for the expression on the lightkeeper's countenance.
"Lost their money? The Endicotts? You can't mean it!" ejaculated
Lorna.
"Does seem too bad," went on Tobias. "'Twarn't Ralph's fault, of
course. But he feels it, I cal'late, as bad as any of 'em. Like enough
he's goin' away from here, like you say, to get him a job of work. I
shouldn't wonder," sighed the guileful Tobias.
"Why, Mr. Bassett, this is _awful_!" There was real sympathy in Lorna's
shocked tone.
"I cal'late that if your Aunt Ida did have a liking for Professor
Endicott years ago she was wise to turn him down. Yes'm. She likely
foresaw the snarl that was comin' through Henry's puttering with these
inventions. Your Aunt Ida is a wise woman, Lorny."
"Why, Mr. Bassett!" ejaculated Lorna, some displeasure in both her tone
and look, "Aunt Ida is not like that. She is the least mercenary person
I know."
"Wal, p'r'aps. I don't know. But she'll mebbe be just as well
satisfied now that you did turn Ralph down. Of course, a feller that's
got to work for his livin'--has his own way to make in the
world--wouldn't do for you."
"I don't know what you mean, Mr. Bassett," cried the girl, her head
high, her cheeks red, and already tight-lipped with wrath. "You have no
right to say that."
"Oh, sugar! I warn't meaning nothing out the way," said Tobias easily.
"It's a good thing you and Ralphie got over your foolishness 'bout each
other. Now, ain't it so?"
"You have no right--I won't listen--oh, Tobias Bassett! Is it really so
that the Endicotts are poor? Has Ralph really got to go to work? Why!
he never hinted at such a thing when he told me he was going away."
"Guess you ain't been showing him much sympathy, have ye?" rejoined the
callous Tobias. "But now see here!" His manner changed suddenly.
"Don't you go and run off to him and say that I told you all this. I
cal'late the Endicotts wouldn't be likely to want all the world and
Dick's hat band to know they'd lost their money. Ralph's proud--you
know he is."
"Oh, that is true," agreed Lorna, displaying much disturbance of mind.
"Ralph is the proudest fellow! It's in the Endicott blood. I suppose
they would starve before they would tell their dearest friends of the
straits they are in."
"I cal'late," agreed the quite unruffled lightkeeper.
"Perhaps that is what has made Ralph so grouchy."
"I shouldn't wonder a mite."
"I--I really can't think what to do," murmured Lorna.
"Oh, sugar! you can't do anything, child. Ralph wouldn't let you help
him. He wouldn't borrow money of a girl. Why, he wouldn't let me lend
him any," and the lightkeeper nodded his head ponderously.
It was plain that what he had said had made its impression on Lorna
Nicholet's mind. She wandered away, deep in thought and forgetting all
about Conny Degger.
"I cal'late," muttered Tobias, "I have started something at last. Now,
let 'er simmer!"