“WhenIgettotalkin’aboutHallandCompanyIcouldtalkforamonthofSundays。Themwasgreatdays——yes，sir，greatdaysforSouthHarnissandthefishbusiness。WhyI’veseen，ofaSaturdaymornin’inthemackerelseason，asmanyasfortymenashorerighthereintownwithmoneyintheirpocketsandtheirhatsononesided，lookin’forfunortroublejustashappenedalong。AndCap’nMarcellusandhispartnerswaslookeduptoandrespected；notmuchmore’nboystheywan’t，buttheywasbig-bugs，Itellyou，andtheyworebeaverhatstochurchonSunday，everymanjackof’em。Fur’sthatgoes，Iworeone，too，andyoumightnotthinkit，but’twasbecomin’tomeifIdosayit。Yes，sir-ee！’Twasakindofcurl-
upbrimone，thathatwas，and——“
“Nevermindthehatnow，Isaiah，“interruptedMary。“TellmeaboutMr。Farmer。“
Isaiahlookedoffended。“Iamtellin’you，ain’tI？“hedemanded。
“Ain’tItellin’youfastasIcan？“