me. I wish to goodness you'd tell me what to do."

Captain Eri turned away from the door. His eyes were watery, and his
face was red, but he managed to say:

"Oh, Jerry, Jerry! Your heart's big as a bucket, but fishin' 's more in
your line than gittin' folks married to order is, I'm 'fraid. You stay
here, and unload them fish in the dory. There ain't many of 'em, and
Josiah 'll help when he gits back. I'm goin' out for a few minutes."

He went down to the beach, climbed into a dory belonging to a neighbor,
and Captain Jerry saw him row away in the direction of the cable
station.

That evening, after the dishes were washed and the table cleared, there
came a knock at the door. Mrs. Snow opened it.

"Why, for goodness sake! Mr. Hazeltine!" she exclaimed. "Come right in.
What a stranger you are!"

Ralph entered, shook the snow, which had just begun to fall, from
his hat and coat, took off these articles, in response to the hearty
invitation of Captain Eri, and shook hands with all present. Elsie's
face was an interesting study. Captain Jerry looked scared.

After a few minutes' talk, Captain Eri rose.

"Mrs. Snow," he said, "come upstairs a little while. I want to talk to
you 'bout somethin'. You come, too, Jerry."

Captain Jerry looked from Elsie to the speaker, and then to Elsie again.
But Captain Eri's hand was on his arm, and he rose and went.

Elsie watched this wholesale desertion with amazement. Then the door
opened again, and Captain Eri put in his head.

"Elsie," he said, "I jest want to tell you that this is my doin's, not
Jerry's. That's all." And the door shut.

Elsie faced the caller with astonishment written on her face.

"Mr. Hazeltine," she said icily, "you may know what this means, but I
don't."

Ralph looked at her and answered solemnly, but with a twinkle in his
eye:

"I'm afraid I can guess, Miss Preston. You see Captain Jerry paid
Captain Eri a call this afternoon and, as a result, Captain Eri called
upon me. Then, as a result of THAT, I--well, I came here."

The young lady blushed furiously. "What did Captain Eri tell you?" she
demanded.

"Just what Captain Jerry told him."

"And that was?"

"What you told Captain Jerry this morning concerning something that you
told him before, I believe."

There was no answer to this. Miss Preston looked as if she had a mind
to run out of the room, then as if she might cry, and finally as if she
wanted to laugh.

"I humbly apologize," sa