Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1907-06-22
CHAPTER XVI-CONTINUED

tother. If he's too good for the job
why, then, the jobs too good for him
If l had my way we'd come to set
Element in about ha'f shake"
The majority of the men hired by
the partners were intensely loyal and
thoroughly optimistic. They knew the
circumstances under which the con.
tract had been taken and would not
consider the possibility Of failure for q
moment But Hammond was the head
Of little coterie of pessimists, among
whom were Henry Simmons and few
others from Orham and Lon Clark and
Ike Bodkin from Harniss. These croalk.
ers sneered at Captain Ezra when his
back was turned and pretended to pity
Bradley. When the pay envelopes
were distributed they congratulated
themselves loudly and wondered If this
time was the last.
Bradley was aware Of all this, be-
cause Barney told him, but he would
not permit his partner to call Ham
mond to account. Sam should not have
the opportunity Of telling Gus that be
was the victim of persecution by an
unsuccessful rival-not If Bradley could
help it, he shouldn't. Captain Titcomb
understood and so Sam was not re-
proved and grew more and more in
tolerable.
All day long the Freedoms deck was
whirl Of industry. The captain and
Bradley were always in the thick of it
and were dog tired when 6 o'clock
came. Then the cable was frightened
and checked, the watch was set and
most of the crews were transferred in
relays to the beach to eat supper in the
shanty and shout, sing and play cards
until bedtime. The partners, with
Hammond, Bearse and Il few others,
went up to Orham in the Diving Belle.
The old maids had been very solemn
of late. When Bradley first told them
that his firm had secured the biggest
wrecking contract over handled by Or
ham men they were jublant. But then
came Miss Busted, Drumming over
like sort of living "eXtra"-with eX-
aggerated reports of village opinion
concerning that contract, and the sis
tiers began to worry. Other callers,
whose views were more Weighty than
Melissas, came also, and now even
Miss Prissy was nervously anxious.
Bradley went to bed carly nowadays.
On the night following the convcrsa-
ton with Peleg he took his lamp from
the shelf soon after supper was cleared
away. Captain Titcomb called, but re-
manned only little While,
AS the young man rose from his chair
Miss Prissy, who had been watching
him over her glasses while pretending
to mend some stockings, dropped the
work in her lap and asked, Bradley,
how are you gettin' on down at the
Point?''
"Tiptop," was the reply.
"YcS, you always say that, but are
you gainn' as fast rs you ought to?
You don't think there's any-any
chance Of your lot bc!l' able to git
that vessel of, do you? Folks seem
to think'-
Bradley laughed. Has Melissa been
here today?" lie Interrupted
"No, she hasn't, but Mr.. Langworthy
has. Oh, Bradley, we hear such dread
full things AR. Langworthy came here
almost on purpose to try to git us to
coax you to give it up fore it's too
late. He says the whole town thinks
you can't carry it through. Men that
know all about wreckin' say
"Who says, the jeremiah club?"
The Jeremiah club was Captain Tit
combs name for the daily gathering
about the stove in Weeks store.
mo, indeed. Men like Capn Jona-
dab WiXon and Mr.. Wingate and lots
more. They say that you've mort
gagged your vessel and that If you fail
you'll be ruined absolutely ruined.
They lay it all to Cap'n Ezra OF
course Tempy and me stand up for you
and the cap'n and pretend we amt
mite anxious; but, oh, Bradley, If any
such awful thing should happen to
you, to our boy, 'twould break our
heartS!'
Bradley felt pang of reproach.
Miss Prissy's eyes were wet, and the
tears were running down Miss Tempy's
cheeks. He was very grave as he an
swered.
Miss Prissy," he said, please don't
worry. l know how people are talk
ing; but, honestly and truly. | think
we shall succeed If we do, it means
everything to us. If we don't-well,
whatever happens, if God let's me live,
you and Miss Tempy shall never suf
fer. | owe everything in the world to
you. FL promise you something else
too. If we win out now, I'll never take
another contract where the risk Is rs
big as this Now, good night, and, TO
please me- don't worry any more
AS he was leaving the room Miss
Tcmpy said timidly; bradley, You
don't go to prayer meetln' any more,
Prlssy aud me pray for you every night.
| hope you won't let your business
proKvd ont vour religion "