The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-08-11

Nav" says the dear. "sure 1
amt"
"If you'll excuse me. Miss.
says /, II thing perhaps twould
be a good idea If We went some
where's where 'twasn't so popular.
Maybe we might go into one of the
rooms at the hall"
"Why, of eourse!" says Hart
ley. We'll go to the hall.
Ag-Miss Page, let me present
my friend, Mr.. Soloman Pratt"
So twas the Page girl. after
all. I'D guessed as much, though
how she come to be in Eastwich
when she'd ought to have been in
Europe was more'n l could make
out.
I'm very glad to know you.
Mr.. Pratt" says she, Just as
though she meant 1t.
Then Major Philander showed
her arm into his and headed for
the hall. Hartley looked kind of
set back like. Then he takes the
boy by the hand and falls into the
Majors wake. Me and the doc
tor trailed along behind.
The. little chap was chirping up
to Hartley all the way. What
worried him was when he was
going to get his five dollars.
Martin told him he'd get 1t all
right. He'd advance it himself
and collect it afterwards.
What's your name, SOM" says
he to the youngster.
stnnnnU oaUa tho how
DENNY" Dennis, you mean?
Dennis what?"
Jaw, 1 don't know. Plain
Denny. I guess"
What do they call you over
on the East Side when you're at
homer"
"Redny," says the little shaver.
We got through the crowd and
into the hall finally. I'd like to
have got rid of Philander, but you
couldn't do that without a block
and tackle. After a spell I see
my chance and cornered the
Major and commenced to talk
politics. He was hankering for
the county representative nomi-
nation and I knew his soft spot.
Hartley and the Page girl got
together then, but they didn't
seem to know what to say.
l heard her explaining that she
hadn't gone to Europe after all.
Her ma had been took sick; moth
ing to speak of, I judged, spell of
nerves" or the like of that. So
Agnes and her chum, Margaret
Talford, had seen the chance
e \
got their poor children tribe to-
gether and come down and took
the Lathrop place at South East
wich.
Well, that was about all. Hart
ley and me had to be going. We
walked along pretty brisk for a
ways-after we had said goodby
to Miss Page-neither of us say
ing much of anything. BY and
by We come to the railroad cross
ing. And here Hartley stops
short.
SOL" says he, "I believe I'll
go back by train. I don't feel like
a sea trip this afternoon. That
-el-that crack on the head has
shaken me up some, I guess"
Hartley left me and went over
to the railroad depot and I kept
on down the road to the shore.
Where's Martini" drawls Van,
when I reach the beach.
He's gone home on the train"
I says. Got a headache"
Van, James and me climbs
aboard the Dora Bassett and casts
loose. Then sfore l could tell
Van the news about the pig race
and the rest, the Dora Bassett
run her nose on a sand flat and
there she stuck. We got out of
that blessed cove and into the
channel somewheres around six
O'Clock Then twas q dead beat
home and the breeze pretty night
gone. A few minutes, and a
fog shut down on us, wet and
thick and heavy as ever / see It.
We poked along for an hour or so
more and then twas most dark
and we want half way to Well
mouth.
Lord James was in his usual
position. hanging on to the CEN
terboard. Van was stretched out
on the locker, blowing smoke
rings and spouting poetry.
See here" says I finally, lone
Of you fellersH have to so for
ard and keep an eve out for
shoals"
Van went. and pretty soon the