"Bully fer you, Flo!" he shouted. "Ye've saved me neck all right this
time, an' I shan't fergit it soon. Ye'll have a new dress, by gum, ye
will. Ho, ho, Martha," and he turned to his discomfited wife, "ye
thought that I was entertainin' ladies on the 'Eb an' Flo,' didn't ye?
An' it was all on account of that comb. Ha, ha, that's a good one."

"Hold your tongue, Sam'l." Mrs. Tobin had at last found her voice. "I
admit that I was mistaken about the comb, but I want to know why you
didn't stop on your way up river? I really believe there's something
wrong with your mind, Sam'l. I never heard you speak to me the way you
did on the boat, and then coming to the house you talked such nonsense
about dying, and appearing to me from the spirit world. You haven't
been drinking, have you?"

Before the captain could reply Flo interposed. She was bubbling over
with excitement, and her parents' troubles did not concern her in the
least. She was too well accustomed to such scenes to take them
seriously to heart.

"Mother," she began, "there's a girl visiting the Hamptons, and I
believe she and John are engaged."

This startling announcement had a profound effect upon Mrs. Tobin.
Whatever took place across the road was of special interest to her.
She sat down suddenly upon the nearest chair, and stared at her
daughter. Flo laughed outright at her mother's excitement.

"That's more interesting than the comb, isn't it?" she bantered. "But
it's true. I saw her myself, and my, she's beautiful!"

"A girl visiting the Hamptons!" Mrs. Tobin slowly repeated, "and
engaged to John! Are you sure? When did you hear all this?"

"I was just over there, and saw things for myself. You don't need to
have your eyes and ears very wide open in that house to understand how
she and John love each other."

"Who is she, for pity's sake? and where did she come from? I never
knew that John had a girl."

"Neither did I, mother. But if you saw them together you would have no
doubt about it. They seem to be so happy. John brought her in his car
last night. She met with an accident somewhere, and she has a bandage
across one side of her forehead."

"Met with an accident!" Mrs. Tobin exclaimed. "In what way?"

"I have no idea, and I didn't like to ask."

"Didn't like to ask!" Mrs. Tobin sniffed in disgust. "If I'd been in
your place I would have found out everything. You don't even know her
name, I suppose."

"Oh, yes, I