“But, Hal! Hal—ah, now there _is_ something for you! He’s got all the physique I ever had, at my best, and he’s got a hundred per cent. more brains than ever I had. It’s as if I could see myself, my youth and strength, rise up out of the grave of the past, all shining and splendid, doctor, and live again and make my soul sing with the morning stars, for gladness, like it says in the Bible or somewhere, sir!”
The old captain, quite breathless with his unaccustomed eloquence, pulling out a huge handkerchief, wiped his forehead where the sweat had started. He winked eyes wet with sudden moisture. Filhiol peered at him with a strange, brooding expression.
“You say he’s just like you, captain?” asked he. “He’s just the way you used to be, in the old days?”
“Why—no, not in all ways. God forbid! But in size and strength he’s the equal of me at my best, or even goes ahead of that. And as I’ve told you before, he’s got no end more brains than ever I had.”
“Ever have any violent spells?” The doctor seemed as if diagnosing a case. Briggs looked at him, none too well pleased.
“Why—no. Not as I know of,” he answered, though without any emphatic denial. “Of course all boys sometimes slip their anchors, and run foul of whatever’s in the way. That’s natural for young blood. I wouldn’t give a brass farthing for a boy that had no guts, would you?”
“No, no. Of course not. It’s natural for—”
“_Ship ahoy!_” the captain joyfully hailed. His keen old eye had just caught sight of something, far in the offing, which had brought the glass to his eye in a second. “There she is, doctor! There’s the _Sylvia Fletcher_, sure as guns!”
“Almost here! See, right to south’ard o’ the light? That’s the _Sylvia_, and my boy’s aboard her. She’ll be at Hadlock’s Wharf in half an hour. He’s almost home. Hal’s almost home again!”
The captain stood up and faced the doctor, radiant. Joy, pride, anticipation beamed from his weather-beaten old face; his eyes sparkled, blue, with pure happiness. He said:
“Well, I’m going down to meet him. Do you want to go, too, doctor?”
“Mile, or a little better. I’ll make it, easy, afore the _Sylvia_ gets in. I’ll be on the wharf, all right, to welcome Hal.”
“I—I think I’ll stay here, captain,” the other answered. “I’m lame, you know. I couldn’t walk that far.”