He saw the look in Janet's eyes that called for bravery in
him. She was pale and pitiful, and he turned comforter at once.

"It's all dependin' upon the position ye take, how ye look t' others.
Once ye get outside of most things, ye straightway freshen up an' get
likelier lookin'!"

"You've had no supper to-night, Mr. Hungry Man!" Janet put her face
close to Davy's.

"I ain't sufferin' fur food, Janet."

"You never own to any suffering, Davy, but look here!" She ran to the
landing and brought in a large tray, neatly spread with food. "It isn't
leavings," she explained, placing the dishes before him; "Eliza Jane's
cooking is for company, mine for Davy and me! I made the biscuits
myself. Aren't they flaky?"

"They are _that_!" nodded Davy; "flaky don't do them justice; they're
flakes. An' that coffee! By gum! Janet, that smells like coffee!"

"Davy, it is coffee!" The girl was glowing, and her eyes shone blue in
the lamplight. "I'm going to eat with you, Davy,"--she drew up a
stool,--"eat and talk." Davy fell to with a suddenly awakened appetite,
but Janet watched him above her clasped hands. Presently she said:

"Davy, who is going to--to--" She was about to say, "keep house for
you," but, recalling Susan Jane's helplessness, she said instead, "who
is going to keep you from being awfully lonely, now?"

"Why, Janet,"--Davy's full mouth hampered his speech,--"I reckon I'll
have t' stay lonely straight on t' the end. I've had my life."

"Davy, will you share me with Cap'n Billy?" Davy gulped his mouthful and
tilted his chair back.

"I'm a masterful hand at sharin' folks, Janet, but some one 'sides Billy
may have something t' say as t' this bargain. There's Mark, now."

"No, Davy, there is no one, and that's the end of it! I'm a--well, a
failure in getting anything to do from strangers, and so I thought if
you would let me, I'd share with you and Billy, and by working very hard
I'd make my board and keep." The sweet face quivered.

"Ain't the paintin' business paid, Janet?" Davy, during sleep-filled
days and lonely nights up aloft, had caught no drifting gossip to
disturb him.

"No, it hasn't paid!" The girl drooped forward wearily.

"Billy said ye was helpin' a woman painter."

"The women have all gone now, Davy."

"That's the wust of foreign trade," comforted David. "Ye can't depend on
it."

"No, but I mean to be a good housekeeper, Davy. I am going to make you
and my Cap'n Billy Daddy just cosy. I re