m being a
party to such an arrangement.

Not for a moment did he think that Miss Bostwick might not jump at
the chance to change her place of residence from a South End lodging
house to the Ball homestead overlooking Big Wreck Cove and the sea.
He had seen that she was afraid of her boss in the store. The rules
there must be very strict. He had noted that everything about the
girl, her apparel and her ornaments, was cheap and tawdry. She must
be both poor and unhappy. Why should she not jump at the chance of
bettering herself?

What would Cap'n Ira say when he caught his first glimpse of that
painted and powdered face? How could good Aunt Prue take to her
heart the bold, jeering shopgirl, evidently born and bred as far
from the old standards of Cape Cod breeding as could be imagined? No
matter how fine a girl Sarah Honey was, her daughter was of a cheap
city type.

But Tunis Latham did not stand in the position of a judge. He had
not been told to use his powers of observation before placing the
Balls' offer before Ida May Bostwick. He had no discretion in the
matter at all.

So he went around to the street behind Hoskin & Marl's at the
required time and spent five or ten minutes backed up against a
blank wall under the sharp scrutiny of every girl who hurried out of
the big store on her way to lunch. Ida May came, at last.

Tunis Latham in his go-ashore uniform and cap was no unsightly
figure. A stern tranquillity of countenance lent him dignity. He
attracted a certain respect wherever he went, but, as has been said,
there was nothing harsh in his appearance.

The girl gave him an appraising scrutiny as she walked toward him.
While covering those few yards she made up her mind about Tunis on
several points. One was that she would not lunch this noon at any
cafeteria or automat!

"Really," she said, with downcast glance, as the man got into step
beside her, "I don't feel that I know you well enough to talk to you
at all, Mister--Mister--"

"My name's Tunis Latham. I'm owner and skipper of the schooner
_Seamew_. I live right handy to your uncle and aunt."

"Goodness! You don't mean I've got an uncle and aunt down there on
the Cape? I never heard of them."

"They are your great-uncle and great-aunt. Aunt Prue must have been
your mother's own aunt."

"So you are my Cousin--er--Tunis?"

His face flamed and he did not look at her.

"That doesn't follow," he said. "Aunt Prue is my aunt only in a
manner of s