"Interrupted?" Elizabeth repeated the word.
"Interrupted was what I said. And _such_ interruptions! Captain Kendrick, I presume you are not responsible for the--ahem--_manners_ of your--ahem--friend, or landlord, or cook or whatever he may be, but whoever _is_ responsible for them should be.... But there, listen for yourself."
Warned by the raised Snowden hand, every one, including the captain and Elizabeth, listened. And, from the yard without so loud that the words were plainly understandable although the windows were closed and locked, came the voice of Judah Cahoon, uplifted in song.
"'Whisky is the life of man, Whisky, Johnny! Whisky from an old tin can, Whisky for my Johnny!
"'I drink whisky and my wife drinks gin, Whisky, Johnny! The way we drink 'em is a sin, Whisky for my Johnny!'"
The singer paused, momentarily, and Elvira spoke.
"Of course," she said, "I make no comment upon the lack of common politeness shown by interrupting our evening sing by such--ah--_noises_ as that. But when one considers the morals of the person who chooses such low, disgraceful----"
"'I had a girl, her name was Lize, Whisky, Johnny! She put whisky in her pies, Whisky for my Johnny!'"
Captain Sears hobbled, as fast as his weak legs would permit, to the door. He flung it open.
"'Whisky stole my brains away, Whisky, Johnny! Just one more pull and then belay, Whisky for----'"
He swung his former skipper to the seat of the truck-wagon. The captain spoke but little during the short trip home. What he did say, however, was to the point.
"Judah," he ordered, "the next time you sing anywhere within speakin'-trumpet distance of that Fair Harbor place, don't you dare sing anything but psalms."
"Never mind. What in everlastin' blazes do you mean by sittin' up aloft here and bellowin' about--rum and women?"
"Hold on, now, Cap'n Sears! Ho-ld on! That wan't no rum and woman song, that was the old 'Whisky, Johnny' chantey. Why, I've heard that song aboard your own vessels mo-ore times, Cap'n Sears. Why----"
"All right. But don't let me ever hear it sung near the Fair Harbor again. If you must sing, when you're over there sing--oh, sing the doxology."
Judah did not speak for a minute or two. Then he stirred rebelliously.