then your
voice was so fearfully deep and gruff," (the captain cleared his throat
softly--in B natural of the bass clef--and smiled again), "that we were
almost frightened to receive you; but, now that we have had experience
of you, we are quite willing that you should continue with us--on one
condition, however."

"And that is?" asked the captain anxiously.

"That you pay us a lower rent."

"A--a higher rent you mean, I suppose?"

"No; I mean a lower."

Captain Bream's benign visage became grave and elongated.

"You see, captain," continued Kate, flushing a little, "when you first
came, we tried--excuse me--to get rid of you, to shake you off, and we
almost doubled the rent of our little room, hoping that--"

"Quite right, quite right," interrupted the captain, "and according to
strict justice, for ain't I almost double the size of or'nary men, an'
don't I give more than double the trouble?"

"Not so," returned Kate, firmly, "you don't give half the trouble that
other men do."

"Excuse me, Miss Kate," said the captain with a twinkle in his grey eye,
"you told me I was your first lodger, so how can you know how much
trouble other men would give?"

"No matter," persisted Kate, a little confused, "you don't give _half_
the trouble that other lodgers would have given if we had had them."

"Ah! h'm--well," returned the captain softly, in the profoundest
possible bass, "looking at the matter in that light, perhaps you are not
far wrong. But, go on."

"Well, I have only to add," continued Kate, "that you have been so kind
to us, and so considerate, and have given us so little--so _very_ little
trouble, that it will give us both great pleasure to have you continue
to lodge with us, if you agree to the reduction of the rent."

"Very well," said Captain Bream, pulling out an immense gold
chronometer--the gift, in days gone by, of a band of highly grateful and
appreciative passengers. "I've got business in the city an hour hence.
We shall have dinner first. Two hours afterwards I will return with a
cab and take away my boxes. That will give you plenty of time to make
out your little bill and--"

"What _do_ you mean, captain?" interrupted Kate, in much surprise.

"I mean, dear ladies, that you and I entered into an agreement to rent
your little cabin for so much. Now it has been my rule in life to stick
to agreements, and I mean to stick to this one or throw up my situation.
Besides, I'm not goin' to submi