"And now, Cap'n," she said, in conclusion, "if you could think up any
way of our gettin' to that hotel, we'd be ever so much obliged. . . .
Hello! There's that driver, I do believe! And about time, I should say!"
From without came the sound of wheels and the voice of Winnie S.,
hailing his missing passengers.
"Hi! Hi-i! Where be ye?"
"He'll wear his lungs out, screamin' that way," snapped Thankful. "Can't
he see the light, for goodness sakes?"
Captain Obed answered. "He couldn't see nothin' unless 'twas hung on the
end of his nose," he said. "That boy's eyes and brains ain't connected.
Here, Kenelm," turning to Mr. Parker, "you go out and tell Win to shut
down on his fog whistle; he's wastin' steam. Tell him the women-folks
are in here. Look alive, now!"
Kenelm looked alive, but not much more than that.
"All right, Cap'n," he stammered. "A--a--all right. What--what--shall I
say--what shall I--had I better--"
"Thunderation! Do you need a chart and compass? Stay where you are. I'll
say it myself."
He strode to the window, threw it open, and shouted in a voice which had
been trained to carry above worse gales than the present one:
"Ahoy! Ahoy! Win! Fetch her around aft here. Lay alongside the kitchen
door! D'you hear? Ahoy! Win! d'you hear?"
Silence. Then, after a moment, came the reply. "Yup, I hear ye. Be right
there."
The captain turned from the window.
"Took some time for him to let us know he heard, didn't it," he
observed.
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