"Oh, not the slightest," she answered with a light laugh. "I have no
doubt that it will be the making of him to be with you. Poor boy, he
certainly needs a father's care."

The captain winced in turn under the retort and his eyes flashed, but
he made no reply.

Little Ellen had slipped out of the captain's lap during the colloquy.
She had noticed the change in her friend's tone, and, with a child's
intuition, had seen that the harmony was in danger of being broken. She
stood by the captain's knee, not knowing whether to climb back again or
to resume her seat by the window. Lucy, noticing the child's
discomfort, called to her:

"Come here, Ellen, you will tire the captain."

The child crossed the room and stood by her mother while Lucy tried to
rearrange the glossy curls, tangled by too close contact with the
captain's broad shoulder. In the attempt Ellen lost her balance and
fell into her mother's lap.

"Oh, Ellen!" said her mother coldly; "stand up, dear. You are so
careless. See how you have mussed my gown. Now go over to the window
and play with your dolls."

The captain noted the incident and heard Lucy's reproof, but he made no
protest. Neither did he contradict the mother's statement that the
little girl had tired him. His mind was occupied with other things--the
tone of the mother's voice for one, and the shade of sadness that
passed over the child's face for another. From that moment he took a
positive dislike to her.

"Well, think it over, Miss Jane," he said, rising from his seat and
reaching for his hat. "Plenty of time 'bout Archie. Life-savin' house
won't be finished for the next two or three months; don't expect to git
into it till June. Wonder, little Pond Lily, if the weather's goin' to
be any warmer?" He slipped his hand under the child's chin and leaning
over her head peered out of the window. "Don't look like it, does it,
little one? Looks as if the snow would hold on. Hello! here comes the
doctor. I'll wait a bit--good for sore eyes to see him, and I don't git
a chance every day. Ask him 'bout Archie, Miss Jane. He'll tell ye
whether the lad's too young."

There came a stamping of feet on the porch outside as Doctor John shook
the snow from his boots, and the next instant he stepped into the room
bringing with him all the freshness and sunshine of the outside world.

"Good-morning, good people," he cried, "every one of you! How very snug
and cosey you look here! Ah, captain, where have yo