ceased tossing
upon the pillow and lay quiet, looking at him.

"You are a good man, Daniel," she whispered, on one of these occasions.
"A dear, good, unselfish man."

"No, no, I ain't any such thing," protested the captain hastily.

"But you are. And--and WHAT should I do without you now?"

"Sh-sh! I'm not much help. Land knows I wish I was more."

"You ARE the help; all the help I have. Gertie--Daniel, you will keep an
eye on Gertie, won't you. You won't let her do anything foolish."

"Who? Gertie? She won't do foolish things. She ain't that kind."

"I know, but she has changed so. It worries me. Percy--"

"Now don't you worry about Percy. He isn't here now."

"Not here? Where is he?"

"I don't know. He's gone away--for a spell, anyhow. Maybe that vacation
he used to talk about is over. I guess that's it."

Serena was too weak to ask further questions, even concerning so
surprising a matter as Cousin Percy's sudden departure. But she did make
one further plea.

"Daniel," she begged, "if Annette calls about the Chapter you tell
her--"

"I've told her. She understands. She says it's all right."

"Does she? I'm so glad. Oh, Daniel, you'll have to take charge of
everything now. I can't, and Gertrude--you must do it, yourself, Daniel.
You MUST. Of Azuba and Gertie and everything. I rely on you. You WILL,
won't you, Daniel?"

"Sure I will. I'm skipper now, Serena. You ought to see how the hands
jump when I give an order."

It was true, too; the hands did "jump" at the captain's orders. He
was skipper, for the time being. His wife's illness, Mr. Hungerford's
absence, Gertrude's meekness--she was a silent and conscience-stricken
young lady--all combined to strengthen Daniel's resolution, and he was,
for the first time in years, the actual head of the household. He took
active charge of the bills and financial affairs, he commanded Azuba to
do this and that, he saw the callers who came and he sent them to the
rightabout in a hurry.

His statement concerning Mrs. Black was not the literal truth. Annette
had called, that was true; she had called the very next morning after
her chief aide was stricken. But she had not declared that everything
was "all right"; far from it.

"But can't I see her, Captain Dott?" she begged. "I MUST see her for
just a minute."

"Sorry, ma'am, but you can't do it. Doctor's orders. She mustn't be
disturbed."

"But I've got to see her. I must talk with her."

"I know, but I'm