"
The old man paused.
"I kinder bit off my own nose when I took that stand," he admitted, an
intonation of regret in his tone, "'cause Jack's mighty good company.
Still, there was nothin' for it but firm handlin'."
"How long ago did you cast him out?" Bob asked with a chuckle.
"Oh, somethin' over a week or ten days ago," was the reply. "I thought
he might have made some progress by now. But I ain't given up hope of
him yet. He's been sorter quiet the last two times I've seen him, an'
I figger he's mullin' things over, an' mebbe screwin' up his courage."
The room was still save for the purr of the plane.
"I suppose you will be marrying Miss Hathaway off some day," observed
Bob a trifle self-consciously, without raising his eyes from his work.
"You bet I won't," came emphatically from the old inventor. "I've got
some courage but not enough for that. You see, the man that marries
her has got to have the nerve to face the whole village--brave Zenas
Henry, the three captains, an' Abbie Brewster, besides winnin' the girl
herself.
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