Daddy," she faltered, "I'm going to tell you something else."

"Yer considerable talky, it seems t' me." Billy eyed the girl.

"Cap'n Billy, have you ever wondered why I talk better than most of the
others at the Station?"

"I don't know as I would allow that ye _do_," Billy replied; "ye talk
differenter, somewhat, but I don't know as it's better."

"Well, it is. And it isn't all the teachers' doings either, Daddy, for
Maud Grace and the rest never changed much; but for years, Daddy, I've
been crawling in the cellar window of Bluff Head, when no one on earth
knew, and I've read five shelves of books! I've thought like those
books, and talked like them, until I seem to be like them; and, Daddy,
the day Mr. Devant came home, he found me in his library-room, reading
his books!"

"Gawd!" ejaculated Billy, and stood stock still. "Did he fling ye out,
neck and crop?" he gasped at last.

"Daddy! he's a nice old gentleman!"

"Old? He ain't dodderin' yet. An' he use t' have a bit of pepper in his
nater. What did he do?"

"Do? Why, he gave me the key to his front door. He reads with me and
tells me what to read. We're great friends!"

"Yer 'tarnal specimint!" Billy was shaking. "I see ye've caught the
mainland fever, eh, gal? Ye don't want t' bide on the dunes 'long o' old
Billy, now, eh?"

"You blessed old Cap'n!" Janet struggled to hold her prize. "I'm
perfectly happy! And I had to come over here to-night and tell you."

"Janet,"--Billy's eyes were dim,--"I keep wishin' more an' more that ye
had a ma. I ain't never thought openly on it fur years, not since ye
was fust borned. But as ye grow int' womanhood, ye seem as helpless as
ye did then. I wish ye had a ma!"

The little halfway house was in front of them. Andrew Farley, who served
on the crew at the Station beyond, was in the doorway.

"What ye got in tow, Billy?" he called jovially.

"Jest a tarnal little bit of driftwood, Andy." Billy rallied his low
spirits.

"Hello, Janet!" Andrew recognized her. "How comes ye kin leave the
mainland? I thought every one who could, stuck there t' see the show. By
gracious! Billy, ye jest oughter see how things is altered." The two men
exchanged the brass checks, then, before returning to their stations,
they stood chatting easily.

"Been up to the Hills lately, Janet?" The girl flushed.

"Not very," she replied. "Come on, Cap'n Daddy, I'm going to stay on and
sleep in the cottage to-night."

"Them artists," Andrew