e me."

"Of course, I'm glad to see you, my dear old sailor Uncle," she said,
rising and putting her arms about his neck.

"Thanks, Beth." He choked out the words, for as he looked down he saw
the sign of tears in her eyes. "I've been cruising round nigh onto three
days, and that's a purty long spell for the land-lubber I'm getting to
be."

"Your return was as sudden as your departure, wasn't it?"

"Sudden? What do you mean by that?"

"Just what I say. I was looking for the _Jennie P._ to come into the
harbor. Perhaps she came as she went, like the ships that pass in the
night."

"You see me go out, did you, Beth?"

She nodded. "But I did not see you return."

"I did sort of sneak out. What did you think of me for doing a thing
like that?"

"I didn't think very highly of you, if you want the honest truth," she
declared, releasing her arms from about his neck.

"You ain't mad, are you, Beth?"

"Don't you think I have a perfect right to get angry? It was the first
time you ever left home without telling me good-bye. Should I like
that?"

"I never thought of that. But this here cruise was like the proposing to
the old maid: unexpected-like. For that reason I wa'n't prepared for
saying good-byes." His eyes clouded as he slowly continued, "It's a
fact, I never went off afore without telling you good-bye. I don't----"

He stopped and looked down at the girl. She was no longer the child who
had clung to him on the eve of departures for long cruises, asking,
"Take me 'long, Unca Josi?" She had grown to womanhood! He wondered that
the thought had not occurred to him before. And yet, as he continued to
gaze, he saw the eager child staring up into his face from the big
eyes.

"I cal'late I ain't got no right to expect them partings no more," he
faltered.

"Why, Uncle Josiah Pott! I don't like that one little bit."

"You seem so growed up, Beth, and I cal'late you're getting too
big----"

"For you to love me?"

"No!" he said vehemently.

"Then, just what do you mean?"

"I don't know." He drew awkwardly back as she approached him, and
fumbled his hat till it fell from his fingers. "You're getting to be
quite a woman," he observed.

"And you're getting very foolish! Now, you kiss me before I get angry."

He stooped, kissed her hastily, and wiped his lips with the back of his
coat-sleeve. He picked up his hat, and began to rub it vigorously with
his finger-tips.

"If ever you talk like that again I'll