l, and a few lap robes in a corner as the
furnishings thereof.

Emmons was a squat, thick set personage, with most of his face hidden
behind a tremendous beard. He cast a careless glance at the boy, then
shutting a ledger said:

"Let's go to supper."

He seized an old palmetto hat, and leaving the stables, dived down a
side street, and into a cheap restaurant near by.

Ralph followed. They seated themselves at one of a row of pine tables,
covered with oilcloth, and well sprinkled with crumbs and flies.

"Better take beef stew," remarked Emmons, seizing some bread and eating
ravenously. "Get more if you're hungry."

Two beef stews were therefore ordered, and brought with a great clatter
of table ware. Emmons fell to as if he had not broken his fast that
day.

Ralph did not like the chicory coffee, though he did justice to the
stew. The crowd of rapid eaters, the noisy rush and yells of the
waiters, the steam fly fans, and the hard faced cashier, all excited
his curiosity.

Two checks were thrown down. Emmons pounced upon both, though Ralph
did not understand what they meant, until he saw the stable man lay
them, accompanied by two dimes, upon the desk at the door.

"Why did you not let me pay mine?" he asked.

"All right. Boss's orders."

The evening passed quietly, the foreman talking but little, though he
entertained Ralph for a time by playing on a French harp, or mouth
organ.

When bedtime came he ushered the boy into a sort of cubby hole behind
the office that was barely large enough to afford space for undressing
beside the bed. In five minutes Emmons was snoring lustily, though
Ralph lay long awake, thinking over the various phases of his situation
and prospects.

He was routed out early in the morning to help the foreman feed the
horses and mules in the stables underneath, and kept busy for an hour,
after which they took breakfast at the restaurant where they had
procured their supper.

About nine o'clock Captain Shard arrived in his buggy from his home in
the suburbs.

"Come in here, Ralph," said he, as Emmons took the horse. "I want to
have a talk with you."

He led the way into the office, closed the door, and fixed his eyes
intently on Ralph, who followed. Then he frowned, appeared to ponder
for a moment, and finally cleared his brow as he looked up again.

"How would you like to follow the sea for a living?" he at length
demanded.

"Follow the sea?" repeated Ralph as if he