Well, what of it? In any case he had acted as his conscience had him
act. He knew that there were those who would say that his conscience
was over-sensitive. Perhaps it was, but it was _his_ conscience, not
theirs. He was class leader in the chapel. He never forgot that. And
he was the leading citizen of the settlement. At whatever cost, he
must needs prove a good example to his neighbors in his deeds. Worry
would not help the case in the least. Too much of it would
incapacitate him. He had lived forty-four years without a cod trap,
and he had not starved, and he could finish his days without one.
"The Lard'll take care of us," Skipper Tom often said when they were
in a tight pinch, but he always added, "if we does our best to make
the best of things and look after ourselves and the things the Lard
gives us to do with. He calls on us to do that."
Though Skipper Tom could scarce see how his trap might have escaped
destruction he had no intention of resting upon that supposition and
perhaps he still entertained a lingering hope that it had escaped.
There is no doubt he prayed for its preservation, and he had strong
faith in prayer.
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