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house of yours like a musket ball in a cannon.” “What would my wife think?” Whitman asked. “You know Agnes,” Jim said, “and you know that if you put anyone else in charge of this girl, you’re gonna be in big trouble.” Whitman looked at Anya. “But she’s so, so...” “Dirty?” Jim added the word for him. “So would you be if you had slept with cows for a month. I’m sure Agnes could find a dress or something and make her look almost human.” Whitman scanned around the circle of men. He jerked his pencil back from Jim. “Oh, all right!” He tapped Eli on the chest with the pencil. “But you better hurry up and make up your mind, Eli Whittier! I’m giving you until the captain leaves port which is, which is...” He looked at the captain questioningly. “One week from tomorrow,” the captain said. Whitman turned back to Eli. “Which is one week from tomorrow. That’s all! Got it?” Eli nodded bleakly. “Yes. Yes.” Whitman shook his head. “I’ll go get Agnes and try to explain this to her. Heavens, I don’t even understand it all myself!” He turned and headed toward his home. He was still shaking his head and was walking at an unusually fast pace. They watched Whitman disappear toward town, and then the captain stuck out his hand to Eli. “My name is Victor.” Eli shook the captain’s hand, and then Jim did. The captain continued, “I must be getting back to my work. I will go get her things.” With that, he headed back to his ship. For a brief 17