mself a "friend of the family," and
had gone to the station with the express intention of meeting the
"young leddy." Having for years sailed under Captain Powell, he still
haunted his house whenever he was on dry land. Every morning he went
in to shave him, and in the evening he mixed his toddy for him and made
him comfortable for the night, expecting and receiving no more than the
friendship and grateful thanks of the old man who had, not so long ago,
been his captain. Having deposited the portmanteau, Valmai had
scarcely time to thank him before he had slouched away with a polite
touch of his cap.

"My uncle lives here? Captain Powell."

"Yes, miss, and thank the Lord you've come, for Ay've bin ewt on the
road looking for you twenty taimes to-day, though Ay towld him you
couldn't come afore the train. There he is, knocking again. You go up
to him, miss, that's all he wants. Ay'll bring your bag up, honey.
There's your room, raight a-top of the stayurs; and there's your
uncle's door on the first landing. Ye'll hear him grumbling." And,
following these instructions, Valmai knocked at the first door she came
to.

"Come in, and be tarnished to you," said an extraordinarily gruff
voice; and, almost before she had time to enter the room, a heavy book
came flying at her. Fortunately, it missed its aim, and she stood for
a moment irresolute at the door, while her uncle, without looking at
her, continued to rail at his much-enduring domestic, whom he was
accustomed to manage by swearing at and flattering in turns. His voice
was a guttural rumbling, which seemed to come from some cavernous
bronchial depths.

"Ain't the little gel come yet?"

"Uncle, here I am," said Valmai, approaching the bed with a frightened
look, though she tried to put on a placid smile.

The shaggy head turned on its pillow.

"Hello and so you are; in spite of that old witch saying for the last
hour that you couldn't 'acome yet. Come here, my beauty, and shake
hands with your old uncle. Ay've got one hand, you see, to shake with
you."

"Yes, uncle, and to throw books at me when I come in."

There was a low, gurgling laugh, which deepened the colour in the old
man's face so much that Valmai, fearing he was going to have a fit,
hastened to say something quiet and calming.

"I came as soon as I could, uncle. We were so sorry to hear of your
accident. How did it happen?"

"The Lord knows, my dear, Ay don't, for Ay've walked up th