the worst
that could happen was the miracle that gave us our tombs. Perhaps
the--perhaps what you dread most may give you yours. Not your tomb; dear
me, no! I hope not. But may be the means of--of saving the situation.
There, there, I must go. Good-night."

"Wait, wait, Mr. Bangs.... Oh, yes, father, I'm coming now.... Mr.
Bangs, what DO you mean? What I dread the most? What I dread--I think I
dread that silly seance next Saturday night more than anything else. Mr.
Bangs, you don't mean--"

"Now, now, now, Lulie. I mustn't say a word more. I--I have said too
much, I know. Just think over the--ah--moral, that's all. Think
it over--but don't mention it to any one else, please. Good-night.
Good-night, Captain Hallett."

He hurried away. Lulie stared after him, wonderingly; then she turned
and walked slowly and thoughtfully to the door. Her father regarded her
with a troubled expression.

"I dreamed," he said, slowly, "that Julia come to me and said somethin'
about you. I don't seem to recollect just what 'twas she said. But 'twas
somethin' about you--somethin' about me lookin' out for you.... Seem's
if," he added, doubtfully, "as if she said you'd look out for me, but
that's just foolishness and wouldn't mean nothin'. It couldn't be, that
couldn't.... Humph! Well, come on in."

The remainder of that week the seance to be held in the light keeper's
cottage on Saturday evening was much talked about. The devout, including
the Beebes, the Hardings and the Blounts were quite excited about it.
The scoffers derided and waxed sarcastic. Of these scoffers the most
outspoken was Horatio Pulcifer. He declared that the whole fool business
made him tired. Old Cap'n Jeth Hallett must be getting cracked as one of
them antique plates. He wasn't sure that the selectmen hadn't ought to
stop the thing, a lot of ninnies sitting in a round circle holding hands
and pretending to get spirit messages. Huh! Just let 'em get a message
that proved something, that meant something to somebody, and he'd
believe, too, he'd be glad to believe. But he was from Missouri and
they'd got to show him. With much more to the same effect.

In private, and in the ear of Galusha Bangs, he made a significant
remark.

"Go?" he repeated. "Me go to that seance thing? Not so you'd notice
it, Perfessor. I'm what they call a wise bird. I get up early, a
consider'ble spell before breakfast. Um-hm, a consider'ble spell.
Saturday night I'm goin' to be a long ways fr