He took the papers which the young man
held out to him. "I suppose this is the last time we'll share, you and
me. I'll miss ye devilish bad. I'd rather go for nothing and let you
have it all than lose ye. But, of course, it ain't no use to argue or
coax."

Mayo went and sat on the rail, folding his arms, and did not reply. The
old skipper trudged forward, his head bowed, his hands clutched behind
his back. When he returned Mayo stood up and put his hand on the old
man's shoulder.

"Captain Candage, please don't misunderstand me. Just at present I feel
that the only friends I have in the world are here. Don't mind the way
I acted just now when I came on board. I have had a lot of trouble--I'm
having more of it. I'm not going to leave you just yet. I want to stay
aboard until I can think it all over--can get my grip. That is, if
you're satisfied to have it that way!"

"Satisfied! Jumping Cicero!" exploded Captain Can-dage. He took the dory
and rowed ashore. He found his daughter gazing into the fog from the
porch of the widow's cottage. "He is going to stay a while longer," he
informed her, rapturously. "Something has happened. Do you suppose that
girl has throwed him over?"

"Father, do you dare to chuckle because a friend is in trouble?"

"I'll laugh and slap my leg if he ever gets shet of that hity-tity
girl," he rejoined, stoutly.

"I am astonished--I am ashamed of you, father!"

"Polly dear, be honest with your dad!" he pleaded. "Do you want to see
him married off to her?"

"I certainly do. I only wish I might help him." Her lips were white, her
voice trembled. She got up and hurried into the house.

"I'll be cussed if I understand wimmen," declared Captain Candage,
fiddling his finger under his nose. "That feller she has picked out for
herself must be the Emp'ror of Peeroo."

Captain Mayo did not come ashore again before the _Ethel and May_
sailed.

The fog cleared that night and they smashed out to the fishing-grounds
ahead of a cracking breeze, and had their trawls down in the early dawn.
At sundown, trailed by a wavering banner of screaming gulls who gobbled
the "orts" tossed over by the busy crew cleaning their catch, they were
docking at the city fish-house.

"Lucky again," commented Captain Candage, returning from his sharp
dicker with the buyer. "The city critters are all hungry for haddock,
and that's just what we hit to-day." He surveyed his gloomy partner with
sympathetic concern. "Why don