The clover fields along the harbor shore were whitening in the western wind , and Captain Jim had one of his finest sunsets on exhibition . He himself had just returned from a trip over the harbor . `` I had to go over and tell Henry Pollack he was dying . Everybody else was afraid to tell him . They expected he 'd take on turrible , for he 's been dreadful determined to live , and been making no end of plans for the fall . His wife thought he oughter be told and that I 'd be the best one to break it to him that he could n't get better . Henry and me are old cronies -- we sailed in the Gray Gull for years together . Well , I went over and sat down by Henry 's bed and I says to him , says I , jest right out plain and simple , for if a thing 's got to be told it may as well be told first as last , says I , ` Mate , I reckon you 've got your sailing orders this time , ' I was sorter quaking inside , for it 's an awful thing to have to tell a man who hai n't any idea he 's dying that he is . But lo and behold , Mistress Blythe , Henry looks up at me , with those bright old black eyes of his in his wizened face and says , says he , ` Tell me something I do n't know , Jim Boyd , if you want to give me information . I 've known THAT for a week . ' I was too astonished to speak , and Henry , he chuckled . ` To see you coming in here , ' says he , ` with your face as solemn as a tombstone and sitting down there with your hands clasped over your stomach , and passing me out a blue-mouldy old item of news like that ! It 'd make a cat laugh , Jim Boyd , ' says he . ` Who told you ? ' says I , stupid like . ` Nobody , ' says he . ' A week ago Tuesday night I was lying here awake -- and I jest knew . I 'd suspicioned it before , but then I KNEW . I 've been keeping up for the wife 's sake . And I 'd LIKE to have got that barn built , for Eben 'll never get it right .
But anyhow , now that you 've eased your mind , XXXXX , put on a smile and tell me something interesting , ' Well , there it was .
Blythe Eben Henry Jim Pollack first right sorter sunsets years