There ain't a rotten knot in it from butt to finish, and mighty few
of any other kind. That stick's _growed right_--that's what's the matter
with it; and it bellies out in the middle, just where it ought to be
thickest.'
"Well, they didn't say nothin' for a while, 'cept to walk round the
stone once or twice and slap it with their hands, as if they wanted to
make sure it was all there. My men were all over it now, and we was
gettin' things in shape to finish up. I tell ye the boys were mighty
glad, and so was I. It had been a long pull of six months' work, and we
were out of most everything, and as soon as the big stone was down in
the brig's hold, and warped back and stowed with the others--and that
wouldn't take but a day or two more--we would clean up, get our money,
and light out for home.
"All this time the Colonel and the Major were buzzin' each other off by
the other rail. Pretty soon they both come over to where I stood, and
the Colonel reached out his hand.
"'Cap'n Brandt,' he says--and he had a look in his face as if he meant
it--and he did, every word of it--'it would give Major Severn and myself
great pleasure if you would dine with us to-night at the Canteen.
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