e Cape hadn't been struck blind, not by a
jugful! And it's evident to my mind, Prudence, that Tunis Latham has
had his eyes pretty wide open from the first."

"Oh! I hope--it can't be that Ida May would leave us," murmured
Prudence. "I don't mean to be selfish."

"Looks like we could get another gal easy enough if we wanted her,"
remarked the old man, with some bitterness. "I swan, Prue! S'pose
Ida May had turned out to be the sort of a gal that flyaway critter
is? We are blessed; we certainly are." And he treated himself to a
liberal pinch of snuff.

Sheila did not wish to hear the two old people talk about the real
Ida May Bostwick. When Tunis took the girl away it was an enormous
relief. Of that she was quite sure. The malevolent attitude of the
frustrated Ida May was sufficient to frighten anybody.

Shelia was positive enough that, as Ida May had promised, the matter
was not ended. That venomous girl would not be content to leave Big
Wreck Cove without making a further attempt--perhaps many--to
establish herself in her right identity and in what she considered
her rightful place with the Balls.

Supper was late that evening. They were only just seated at the
table when Tunis returned.

"Come on, boy," said Cap'n Ira. "There's a place set for you. Tell
us what you did with that crazy girl."

Sheila was busy between the stove and the table and did not come to
the side of the captain of the _Seamew_ as he took the chair
indicated. He was not smiling as usual, but neither did he seem
alarmed. He replied to the questions of the old people with
tranquillity.

"I did not advise her to go to the Burchell House," Tunis said. "You
know what a talker Sally Burchell is. I remember that Mrs. Pauling
took boarders in the summer, and I went to her with that girl."

"You mean Zeb's mother?" asked Prudence. "Well, she'll take care of
her, I guess. And Zeb is strong and willing. If she gets crazy in
the night, they ought to be able to hold her."

A faint smile flickered for a moment about Tunis Latham's stern
lips.

"I don't guess she will act up so very bad with strangers."

"I swan! We was strangers enough to her, it would seem," exclaimed
Cap'n Ira.

"But she seems to consider that you ought not to be," Tunis pointed
out.

"Never heard of such a thing!" muttered the old man.

"I would have been glad to get her out of town this very night,"
Tunis observed quietly. "But it could not be done. She is convinced
th