round. She must be hard on by this time. Wonder
how Eben's makin' out."

"The poor boy must be greatly worried, Sam'l. Maybe he'll come home
before morning."

"Mebbe he will, Martha. I never thought of that. But he'll not worry
about the loss of the boat. Most likely he'll be glad, fer he doesn't
take much to the water. I don't know what we're goin' to do with that
boy."

"But what will you do without the boat, Sam'l? It's our only means of
living, and with that gone we'll starve."

"Oh, I guess we'll pull through somehow. I'll git the boat afloat when
her load's taken off, if she isn't too hard an' fast on them mud flats.
My, it was sartinly some gale last night! I've been boatin' on this
river fer over twenty-five years, an' I never saw anything like it. I
thought mebbe you an' Flo intended to stay at the Hamptons all night.
It was mighty lucky fer me, though, that ye didn't."

"Mrs. Hampton coaxed us to stay, but I wanted to get home. I had a
peculiar feeling that something was the matter."

"An' didn't ye have a more peculiar feelin', Martha, when ye heard me
yell? I imagined at first that ye didn't hear me."

"I really thought it was a dog howling, Sam'l. It was Flo who said it
was a man calling for help. I then knew that it must be you. My, we
had a job getting you to the house. We never could have done it if
John hadn't been with us."

"It's a wonder he could leave his sweetheart long enough to come with
ye, Martha. Did ye find out anything more about her?"

"Nothing. Mrs. Hampton banged on the piano, while John and the girl
sang until my head ached. I believe they did it so I wouldn't ask any
more questions. I really think there is something mysterious about
Miss Bean. What was she doing at the quarry? How did she happen to
get hurt? And how did John come to get so well acquainted with her?
Mark my word, I shall find out all about her."

Little sleep came to the captain that night, and the hours wore slowly
away. He had insisted that his wife and daughter should go to bed.
Their presence annoyed him. He wanted to be alone that he might think,
for he was more worried about the "Eb and Flo" than he would openly
acknowledge. He was getting along in years, and boating was the only
thing he could do to make enough to provide for his family. He could
not afford to buy or build another craft for the season's work, not
even a scow, so if the "Eb and Flo" could not be saved, he did