ain't quite yourself, be ye? I knowed a feller once that
thought he was the angel Gabriel and went around with a tin fish
horn, tooting it at all hours of the day and night. But no graves
opened for him and nobody was resurrected. They finally put him in
the booby hatch, poor feller."

"I'm your niece, I tell you," interrupted Ida May, pointing at
Prudence, who shrank from her immediately in undeniable fear. "My
mother was Sarah Honey before she was married. I guess there must be
enough people in this Big Wreck Cove place who knew her and remember
her to prove who I am."

"I wouldn't try to do that," said Cap'n Ira thoughtfully. "Telling
such a thing as this among the neighbors would be the surest way of
getting into trouble. That's right. If Prudence--Mrs. Ball--don't
know ye, do you think strangers would be likely to back you up?
Don't you think it would be better to sit down quietly and rest a
while? Maybe you'd better stay with us overnight."

"Oh, Ira!" gasped his wife. "I wouldn't scurce dare have her stay.
She--she's out of her head. She might do something."

"I'll do something fast enough!" cried Ida May, stamping her foot.
"I'll do something to that hussy!"

"You hear her, Ira?" murmured Prudence, trying to draw Sheila away
from the enraged girl.

"Threatening damage never broke no bones yet," said the captain
calmly.

"I'll do _her_ some damage," declared Ida May bitterly. "If none of
you won't listen to me, I'll find somebody that will. I'll--"

She halted suddenly in her wild and angry speech. Her face changed
as if by magic. The flush died in it and the expression of her
sparkling eyes became subdued. A simpering look overspread Ida May
Bostwick's countenance that warned the other girl, at least, that
another person had entered the house.

Before Sheila could turn to look toward the kitchen door, Ida May
cried:

"Oh, Cousin Tunis! If you ain't my cousin exactly, I guess you are
pretty near. And ain't I glad you've come! Do you know what this
awful girl is saying--what she is doing here? And these old fools
won't believe me! I never heard of such a thing. Just you tell them
who I am, and I guess they'll make her pack up and get out in a
hurry."

In the doorway stood the captain of the _Seamew_. The two old people
welcomed his appearance with a satisfaction that could not be
mistaken.

"I swan, Tunis, you come at a mighty handy time," declared Cap'n
Ira.

"Oh, Tunis! Take that girl away,"