there's enough ginger left in the can. Don't know how?
Corny, you darling, you grow stupider every day! Hear me! One
teaspoonful of ginger to the blue bowl of water. Hot as he can drink
it. Look in the crock and see if there's a single lump of sugar left.
No? Then those blessed children have been into it again and the poor
fellow'll have to drink his dose without."

Swift as the directions were given they were obeyed, yet there was not
the slightest confusion or excitement. Jim and Melvin watched from the
wooden bench against the wall while Cap'n Jack hovered over the broken
stove, deriving what comfort he could from the blaze of kindlings
within. He would have added a stick of wood from a near-by pile, but
the master of the house laughed and shook his head.

"Can't waste anything while Lucetty's around. Why, that woman can make
a kettle boil with just one blazing newspaper under it. Fact!"

"That's all right, Corny, dear, but you'd best add 't it was a big
paper and a mighty little kettle. Now, that's real nice. Your good
shirt fits him to a T! And the 'comfort's' a comfort indeed to his
chilled body. Aye, my boy, you're all right now. You're visitin' in
Corny Stillwell's house and you'll be taken care of. Lie right still,
I mean hold your head up if you can and swallow some this nice ginger
tea. Set your circulation going quick. You've had a right smart
duckin' but you're young and 'twon't harm you. What? Don't like it?
Foolish boy! Come here, one you others, or both. They's enough in this
bowl for all of you, that old officer into the bargain. Have a
swallow, Commodore?"

How this wise little woman chanced to hit upon the very title dearest
to this old vagrant's heart is a puzzle; but he beamed upon her as she
said it and drained the last contents of the bowl without a shudder,
even though most of the ginger had settled there and stung his throat
to choking.

The bed upon which his hosts had placed Gerald was their own, and
stood in one corner of the front room which was, also, kitchen,
dining-room and parlor. It was of good size, with a rag carpet on its
earthen floor and well ventilated by cracks between the clap-boarded
sides. There were holes in the carpet and the Captain's crutch caught
in one, and lifted it, revealing the earth beneath. Seeing him look
at it prompted the hostess to explain:

"We're going to put down boards, sometime, when Corny dear can get
them and the time to fix them. The little rough