good-natured face was
wreathed in smiles.

"Throw me your painter, Captain!" shouted the medical man. "When I get
that in hand I'll feel sure that you are really here!"

Old Icky went forward, wound the sail neatly around the mast, removed
the rudder, pulled up the center-board, and then tossed to Hudson a line
to be turned around the piling. Ichabod stepped ashore, nonplused. His
expression was stern and forbidding as he advanced on his friend, the
Doctor, and demanded the meaning of all this.

"Why, Captain Ichabod," came the answer, "the women folks up there have
named this meeting Ichabod Jones' coming-out party. You know in great
cities where there's a heap of society, when a girl reaches an age that
they think it is time for her to be setting her cap, they arrange a
swell party to let the fellows know that the young lady is eligible. So,
you see, that's the case to-day. Only, this time, it's a man that has
come out of his shell, and you can believe me that shell was the hardest
one I ever tried to crack!"

"Say, Hudson, did I tell ye I was a-lookin' fer a woman? No, sir; I only
said as how they was welcome to come to the Island. This how-dy-do o'
your'n I call a-rubbin' it in pretty hard. If it's a joke with you, it
hain't with me."

"Now, old friend, don't get peeved. I'll tell you just how it came
about. After you left my house, I went out to pay some professional
calls. Ichabod, your name's in everybody's mouth. They all asked
questions about you, knowing how close friends we are. What could I do
but just up and tell how you had seen the light and had hit the trail
for happiness; how all women were to be welcome at the Island from now
on, and how the latch-string would be hanging always on the outside of
the shack door? I had no sooner arrived home than one of these good
ladies called me up and asked me if I would mind escorting a few of them
to the Island to congratulate you on your quitting playing Rip Van
Winkle as far as women were concerned. I just told the pretty creatures
I'd be only too glad to go with them.... Shake hands, Ichabod. Let your
family physician be the first to welcome you back."

Realizing that the whole trouble had been caused by his talking too much
and that no one was to blame save himself, the old man smiled somewhat
wryly as he grasped his friend's extended hand.

"Say, Doc," he declared, "I always did like a joke where it didn't hurt
none. So, I ain't a-goin' to make ye out