the captain asked. "Yer dad's sure
to know of yer whereabouts, even though ye call yerself Betty Bean.
How in time did ye think of sich a name as that?"

Jess laughed, although her eyes expressed anxiety.

"I am afraid I cannot stay here long, Captain. But I wish I could.
Mrs. Hampton seems just like my own mother, she is so kind and loving.
Perhaps you will take me again on your boat. That is the safest place
I can think of now."

"I guess ye wouldn't find it very safe thar, Miss. It served as a
refuge fer a time, but please don't try it on agin, unless ye want to
git me into trouble."

Jess smiled, more at the peculiar expression on the captain's face than
at his words of warning. She understood perfectly well what he meant,
for she had met his wife. For a few seconds there was silence. Then
the captain looked into the bright face before him, and his eyes
twinkled.

"Say, Miss," he began, "I know a fine way out of yer difficulty. It's
a great one, an' jist stuck me all of a sudden."

"You do! Oh, I knew you would help me."

"Yes, it's the only way I kin see," the captain continued. "It will
keep yer parents from forcin' ye to marry that Lord's son. They can't
touch ye if ye jist foller my advice."

"I will, Captain. Just tell me what to do."

"Git married."

"Oh!" The girl gave a great start, while her face crimsoned.

"Didn't expect that, eh?" and the captain chuckled. "Took ye kinder by
surprise?"

"Indeed it did. And I'm afraid I can't take your advice. Why, I've
run away to escape getting married."

"Ah, that's all right, Miss. Ye ran away to escape one man, but I
guess thar's another ye won't run away from. Isn't that true? Thar
now, ye needn't blush an' git all confused. I'm old enough to be yer
grandfather, so ye needn't git upsot at what I say. I'm only speakin'
fer yer good. Marry John Hampton, an' then ye won't have to worry any
more about marryin' that Lord Stick-in-the-Mud. John's a real nice
feller, an' I guess you like him as well as he likes you."

"But, Captain, I couldn't marry John," Jess protested. "In fact, he
hasn't even asked me to marry him."

"He hasn't! John hasn't asked ye to marry him?" The captain's
surprise and indignation were so great that he sat bolt upright. Then
he sank back with a groan. "Blame that foot!" he growled. "I fergot
all about it. An' no wonder. To think that John hasn't asked ye to
marry him. What in thunder has he been