he assistant, shortly. He had been thinking once more,
and his thoughts were not pleasant.

"I s'pose you cal'late," began Atkins, "that maybe I've got a grudge
against you on account of this mornin' and that 'Balm' and such. I
ain't."

"That's good. I'm glad to hear it."

"Yes. After the fust dose of that stuff--for thunder sakes WHAT did you
put in it?--I was about ready to murder you, but I've got over that. I
don't blame you for gettin' even. We are even, you know."

"I'm satisfied, if you are."

"I be. But what I don't understand is why you didn't want to show them
folks around."

"Oh, I don't know. I had my reasons, such as they were. Why didn't you
want to do it yourself?"

Seth crossed his legs and was silent for a moment or two. Then he spoke
firmly and as if his mind was made up.

"Young feller," he said, "I don't know whether you realize it or not,
and perhaps I shouldn't be the one to mention it--but you're under some
obligations to me."

His companion nodded. "I realize that," he said.

"Yes, but maybe you don't realize the amount of the obligations. I'm
riskin' my job keepin' you here. If it wa'n't for the superintendent
bein' such a friend of mine, there'd have been a reg'lar assistant
keeper app'inted long ago. The gov'ment don't pick up its lightkeepers
same as you would farm hands. There's civil service to be gone through,
and the like of that. But you wanted to stay, and I've kept you, riskin'
my own job, as I said. And now I cal'late we'd better have a plain
understandin'. You've got to know just what your job is. I'm goin' to
tell you."

He stopped, as if to let this sink in. Brown nodded again. "All right,"
he observed, carelessly; "go on and tell me; I'm listening."

"Your job around the lights you know already, part of it. But there's
somethin' else. Whenever men folks come here, I'll do my share
of showin' the place off. But when women come--women, you
understand--you've got to be guide. I'll forgive you to-day's doin's. I
tried to play a joke on you, and you evened it up with a better one on
me. That's all right. But, after this, showin' the lights to females is
your job, and you've got to do it--or get out. No hard feelin's at all,
and I'd really hate to lose you, but THAT'S got to be as I say."

He rose, evidently considering the affair settled. Brown caught his coat
and pulled him back to the bench.

"Wait, Atkins," he said. "I'm grateful to you for your kindness, I like
y