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The old place looked mighty familiar.
"Is Mr. Pike in?" I asked the bookkeeper, who had hollered my name out as if he was glad to see me.
"Why, yes, Cap'n Snow, he's in. I'll tell him you're here."
"Wait a minute," says I. "Is he alone? Good! Then I'll tell him myself.
Come, Mary."
Pike was in his private office, not lookin' a day older than when I left him four years and a half ago. He looked up, jumped, and then grabbed me by both hands. "Why, Cap'n Zeb!" he sung out. "If this isn't good for sore eyes. How are you? What are you doin' here in New York? By George, I'm glad to see you! What-"
"Wait!" I interrupted. "Business fust, and pleasure afterwards. I'm here to pay my debts."
"Debts?" says he, wonderin'.
"Yes," I says. "Did you get a hat from me four year or so ago?"
He laughed. "Yes, I did," he says. "I wrote you that I did. I knew I should win that bet. You couldn't stay idle to save your soul."
"There was another bet, too, if you recollect. A bet with a five-year limit on it. The limit won't be up till next fall, so here I am-and here's the other hat."
I set the leather box on the table. He stared at it and then at me.
"What do you mean?" he says, slow. "I don't remember.... Why, yes-I do!
You don't mean to tell me that you're-"
"That's the hat, ain't it?" I cut in. "You're a man of judgment, Mr.
Pike, and any time you want to set up professionally as a prophet I'd like to take stock in the company."
He was beginnin' to smile.
"Then-" says he-"Why, then this must be-"
I cut in and stopped him.
"Hold on," says I. "Hold on! I'm prouder to be able to say it than I ever was of anything else in this world, and I sha'n't let you say it fust. Mr. Pike, let me introduce you to my wife-Mrs. Zebulon Snow."
About half an hour afterwards he found time to look at the hat.
"Whew!" says he. "Cap'n, this is much too good a hat for you to buy for me. I'm mighty glad, for your sake, that I won the bet, but-"
"Ssh-h! shh!" says I. "Don't say another word. Think of what _I_ won!
Hey, Mary?"
THE END
