other girl in!" cried Ida May wildly.

"That is their business. They want her. They don't want you. You
have no more standing here than you would have if you went into the
house of the governor of the State and demanded recognition there."

"What a wicked man you are!" gasped Ida May. "And--and I thought you
was a simp!"

Tunis did not even change color. He addressed her as though he
believed she was not right in her mind. Sheila watched him, not now
in fear, but in wonder. She had thought she must battle with this
girl for Tunis' name and reputation. But the captain of the _Seamew_
had seized the reins of affairs himself and was likely to do much
better in the emergency than Sheila could ever dream of doing.

"Come, now," said Tunis Latham calmly. "I do not know where you
belong or where you came from last. But you cannot stay here. Cap'n
Ira and Aunt Prue do not want you. If you have any friends near--"

"I've got friends all right! You'll find out that I've got 'em!"
gasped the girl threateningly.

"You know anybody in Big Wreck Cove?"

"No, I don't. I've just come here. But I mean to stay here till I
get my rights. I'll show you all!"

"You can't show us anything to-night," interposed Tunis firmly.
"Whatever you mean to try to do cannot be done right now, you know.
You will have to sleep somewhere, and I shall have to do one of two
things--no, one of three things."

She looked at him wonderingly, but she was listening.

"I will take you back to the port. You cannot go home--wherever you
live--to-night. In the morning you can go over with Ben Craddock on
the stage to Paulmouth."

"I won't!" The girl's determination was roused. There was a stubborn
streak in her character that would make her a bitter antagonist.
Tunis, as well as Sheila, realized this.

"All right," said the captain of the _Seamew_ calmly. "Then I'll get
you a place to stay down in the port. Or I shall have to see the
justice of the peace and have you committed for your own safety."

"You don't dare!" cried Ida May again.

"You tempt me too far, young woman," he said sternly, "and you'll
find just how much I dare. Will you come along with me now and
behave yourself?"

"That's the ticket, Tunis," muttered Cap'n Ira. "Put her where she
belongs."

"So my own folks turn me out, do they?" cried Ida May, hatefully,
staring at the two old people. "If anybody is crazy it is those
two," and she pointed to the Balls. "Take in a drab like t