All the Brothers Were Valiant

her boarding had been brought in ships from England, ready sawed; likewise the bricks of the chimney. Indians used to come to the house in the cold of winter, begging shelter. Given

with a venison haunch, or a bear

ndows. But the grass was uncut in the yard, and the lack of a veranda, and the tight-closed doors and windows, made the house seem lifeless and lacking the savor of h

There were six flues in this chimney, and a pot atop each flue. These little chimney pots breaking the severe outlines of the house

one that showed the Harbor and the channel to the sea hung between the middle windows. In the north corner, a harpoon, and two lances, and a boat spade leaned. Their blades were covered with wooden sheaths, painted gray. A fifteen-foot jawbone, cleaned and polished and with every curving tooth in place, hung upon the rear wall and gle

osed; nevertheless, the room was filled

ad begun it, when Joel and his four brothers were ranging from babyhood through youth.... A full half of the book was filled wit

wo months, and four days. Captain Chase reported that my eldest son, Matthew Shore, was killed by the fluke of

ingle line, like an

e brothers w

; and three weeks later, he died. He

ning their brief entries, came presently to t

the Japan grounds, with all hands save the boy and the

again, that

e brothers w

g casks, and the brothers of the House of Shore played the parts of men. The entries were now in

months and twenty-two days ... died on the cruise, and fi

e or two f

ys ... tubs on deck filled with oil, for which there

nd strong, and the letters sprawled blackly along the lines. Furthermore, Mark used the pe

e of twenty-seven, was given comman

te which seemed to bring his brother before his very eyes. Mark had always been so, swift

een days. I found the Martin Wilkes in the dock. They report Captain John Shore lost at Va

n bold and de

e brothers w

e end. When he came to the fresh page, Joel dipped his pen, and huddled his

east, light. This day the Martin Wilkes finished a three year cruise. Found in port the Nathan Ross. She reports that Captain Mark Shore left the ship when she

, his lips moving; then he sat for a space with frowning br

. If Mark lived, they would have foun

wrote the

e brothers w

dded: "Joel Shore became first mate

hat looked down upon the Harbor, and stood there for a long time. His face was serene, bu

he town was old, and it had t

aterfront. The yards of the Nathan Ross were canted in mournful tribute to his brother. At the pier end beside her, he marked the ranks of casks, brown with sweating oil. Beyond, the smooth water ruffled in the wind, and dark ripple-shadows moved across its surface with each breeze. There were gulls in the air, and

ir. It hung there, he knew, for his brother's sake. He watched it thoughtfully, wondering.... There had bee

of the great oak below the house. When it was safe in the oak's upper branches, it scolded derisively at the imaginary terrors it had escaped. A blue jay, with ruffled feathers--a huge, blue ball in the air--rocketed across from the elm, and established himself near the squirrel, and they swore at each other like coachmen. The squirrel swore from temper and disposition;

went down and opened. He knew the boy; Peter How. Peter was thin and freckled and nervous; and he was inclined to stammer. When Joel opened the doo

, Peter,

e head furiously. "C--C--C--" he said.

he Martin Wilkes, and of the N

e told the boy. "I'll

med to be choking. "He's a-a-

or of the house behind him, and he and P