thirty was the usual dinner hour. It passed. Seven o'clock struck,
then eight, and still Captain Elisha sat alone in the library. The cook
sent word that the dinner was ruined. Edwards respectfully asked, "What
shall I do, sir?" twice, the second time being sent flying with an order
to "Go for'ard and keep your hatches closed!" The nautical phraseology
was lost upon the butler, but the tone and manner of delivery were quite
understandable.

Several times the captain rose from his chair to telephone the Dunn
house and ask the reason for delay. Each time he decided not to do so.
No doubt there were good reasons; Caroline and her brother had been
detained; perhaps the automobile had broken down--the things were always
breaking down just at the most inconvenient times; perhaps.... Well, at
any rate, he would not 'phone just yet; he would wait a little longer.

At last the bell rang. Captain Elisha sprang up, smiling, his impatience
and worry forgotten, and, pushing the butler aside, hurried to open
the door himself. He did so and faced, not his niece and nephew, but
Pearson.

"Good evening, Captain," hailed the young man, cheerily. "Didn't expect
me, did you? I dropped in for a moment to shake hands with you and to
offer congratulations to Miss Warren." Then, noticing the expression on
his friend's face, he added, "What's the matter? Anything wrong? Am I
intruding?"

"No, no! Course not. You're as welcome as another egg in a poor man's
hen-house. Come right in and take off your things. I'm glad to see you.
Only--well, the fact is I thought 'twas Caroline comin' home. She and
Stevie was to be here over two hours ago, and I can't imagine what's
keepin' 'em."

He insisted upon his visitor's remaining, although the latter, when he
understood the situation, was reluctant to do so.

"Caroline'll be real glad to see you, Jim, I know," the captain said.
"And I want you to stay for my sake. Between pacifyin' the Commodore
and frettin' over what couldn't possibly happen, I was half dead of the
fidgets. Stay and cheer me up, there's a good feller. I'd just about
reached the stage where I had the girl and boy stove to flinders under
that pesky auto. I'd even begun to figger on notifyin' the undertaker.
Tell me I'm an old fool and then talk about somethin' else. They'll be
here any minute."

But a good many minutes passed, and still they did not come. Pearson,
aware of his companion's growing anxiety, chatted of the novel, of th