as dark.
Louise mounted the stairs, rather glad of his absence; but when she
came to the top of the flight she saw the lamplight streaming through
the open door of her uncle's bedroom. Diddimus, with waving tail, was
just advancing into the "cabin," as Cap'n Amazon called the chamber he
occupied.

Knowing that he particularly objected to having any of his possessions
disturbed, and fearing that Diddimus might do some mischief there,
Louise followed the tortoise-shell, calling to him:

"Come out of there! Come out instantly, Diddimus! What do you mean by
venturing in where we are all forbidden to enter? Don't you know,
Diddimus, that only fools dare venture where angels fear to tread?
Scat!"

Something on the washstand caught Louise's glance. In the bottom of
the washbowl was the stain of a dark brown liquid. Beside it stood a
bottle the label of which she could read from the doorway.

She caught her breath, standing for half a minute as though entranced.
Diddimus, hearing a distant footstep, and evidently suspecting it,
whisked past Louise out of the room.

There were other articles on the washstand that claimed the girl's
notice; but it was to the bottle labeled "Walnut Stain" that her gaze
returned. She crept away to her own room, lit her lamp, and did not
even see Cap'n Amazon Silt again that night.

CHAPTER XXII

SHOCKING NEWS

"Ford Tapp was here last night," Cap'n Amazon told Louise at the
breakfast table. "I cal'late he was lookin' for you, though he didn't
just up an' say so. Seemed worried like for fear't you wouldn't have a
good opinion of him."

"Mercy! what has he done?" cried the girl laughing, for even the sound
of Lawford's name made her glad.

"Seems it's what he ain't done. What's all this 'bout your jumpin'
overboard t'other day and savin' him from drownin'?" and the mariner
fairly beamed upon her.

"Oh, uncle, you mustn't believe everything you hear!"

"No? But Bet Gallup says 'tis so. You air a hi-mighty plucky girl, I
guess. I allus have thought so--and so did Abe. But I kind of feel as
though I'm sort o' responsible for your safety an' well-bein' while you
air here, and I can't countenance no such actions."

"Now, uncle!"

"Fellers like Ford Tapp air as plenty as horse-briers in a sand lot;
but girls like you ain't made often, I cal'late. Next time that feller
has to be rescued, you let Bet Gallup do it."

She knew Cap'n Amazon well enough now to see that h