e suspicion of a twinkle in Miss Preston's eye as she
asked, innocently enough:

"Is she a young lady, Captain Eri?"

"Well, she hopes she is," was the deliberate answer. "Why?"

"Does she look like me?"

"Like YOU? Oh, my soul and body! Wait till you see her. What made you
ask that?"

"Oh, nothing! I was a little curious, that's all. Have you seen her, Mr.
Hazeltine?"

Ralph stammered, somewhat confusedly, that he hadn't had the pleasure.
The Captain glanced from the electrician to Miss Preston and back again.
Then he suddenly realized the situation.

"Ho! ho!" he roared, slapping his knee and rocking back and forth in his
chair. "Don't for the land's sake tell me you took Elsie here for 'Gusty
Black! Don't now! Don't!"

"He asked me if I had taken many orders," remarked the young lady
demurely.

When the general hilarity had abated a little Ralph penitently explained
that it was dark, that Captain Eri had said Miss Black was young, and
that she carried a bag.

"So I did, so I did," chuckled the Captain. "I s'pose 'twas nat'ral
enough, but, oh dear, it's awful funny! Now, Elsie, you'd ought to
feel flattered. Wait till you see 'Gusty's hat, the one she got up to
Boston."

"Am I forgiven, Miss Preston?" asked Hazeltine, as he said good-night.

"Well, I don't know," was the rather non-committal answer. "I think I
shall have to wait until I see 'Gusty."

But Mr. Hazeltine apparently took his forgiveness for granted, for his
calls became more and more frequent, until his dropping in after supper
came to be a regular occurrence. Young people of the better class are
scarce in Orham during the fall and winter months, and Ralph found few
congenial companions. He liked the captains and Mrs. Snow, and Elsie's
society was a relief after a day with the operators at the station. Mr.
Langley was entirely absorbed in his business, and spent his evenings in
his room, reading and smoking.

So September and October passed and November came. School opened in
October and the captains had another boarder, for Josiah Bartlett,
against his wishes, gave up his position as stage-driver, and was sent
to school again. As the boy was no longer employed at the livery stable,
Captain Perez felt the necessity of having him under his eye, and so
Josiah lived at the house by the shore, a cot being set up in the parlor
for his use. His coming made more work for Mrs. Snow, but that energetic
lady did not seem to mind, and even succeed