and tried to teach him just for ourselves.'

'Oh, I don't know,' faltered Betty; 'I'm afraid I'm selfish, I'm not
brave like you. I thought I should feel like the Spartan mothers, but
I don't. I can't think of the country. I can only think of Godfrey.'

'Oh, Betty dear, I'm not brave--I never was. I don't feel a bit like a
Spartan mother; but it seems to me we needn't mind about what we feel
like. We've only got to try and look brave and help poor Cousin
Crayshaw, for he is dreadfully sad, and make it easy for Godfrey to go,
and not let him think we're fretting.'

'But if we can't?' sighed Betty.

'Do you remember what Martha said the first day?--"We never have a job
given us that's too hard for us to do." What do you think, Betty dear,
ought we to go in now?'

As they came through the gap in the hedge they nearly ran into the
captain in the dusk. He half hesitated, as if unwilling to speak, and
then wished them good-night.

'Oh, but you're coming to supper, Captain Maitland,' said Betty.
'Cousin Crayshaw and all of us expected you.'

'I think I must say good-night, Miss Betty,' the captain said a little
hesitatingly; 'I--I shall have a good deal to do this evening.'

'Oh, but I know your packing doesn't take long,' said Betty eagerly;
'please do come.'

They both guessed that he was going home to a lonely evening because he
would not intrude upon their last night with Godfrey, and they couldn't
let him do that.

'I know Cousin Crayshaw expects you,' urged Angel, 'and Godfrey will be
so pleased too.'

And Betty, growing bold in the darkness, added earnestly: 'And if you
are thinking about Angel and me, it makes it easier for us to pretend
to be brave, though we aren't in the least, when you are there.'

The captain did not answer for a minute, and when he did his voice had
a strange tremor in it.

'You know,' he said, 'that anything that I can do for you or for
Godfrey, anything that is in my power, it will be my greatest happiness
to do. I have wanted to say this before Godfrey and I sailed together,
and I know you will understand, and not overrate my power to help him
and care for him.'

The next minute he had a hand of each of the girls.

'We know you love him almost as much as we do,' said Betty's eager
voice.

'And it is our greatest comfort in the world just now to think that he
will be with you,' added Angel's gentle tones.'

'And you'll come to supper and help us, won't you?' urged