face, and he smiled quizzically.

"Well, I don't know, Mr.--"

"Graves is my name."

"I don't know, Mr. Graves. This ain't goin' to be a pleasure cruise
exactly. You might get pretty wet."

"I don't care. I can get dry again when I get there. Of course I shall
share the expense of the livery. I shall be greatly obliged if I may go
with you. If not, I must try for a rig myself."

"Oh, if you feel that way about it, why, come ahead and welcome. I was
only warnin' you, that's all. However, with me aboard for ballast, I
guess we won't blow away. Wait a jiffy till I get after Pete."

He entered the ticket office and raised a big hand to the little crank
of the telephone bell.

"Let's see, Caleb," he called; "what's Shattuck's number?"

"Four long and two short," answered the station master.

Graves, wondering vaguely what sort of telephone system was in use on
Cape Cod, heard his prospective pilot ring the instrument for a full two
seconds, repeating the ring four times altogether. This he followed with
two sharp tinkles. Then came a series of shouted "Hellos!" and, at last,
fragments of one-half of a dialogue.

"That you, Shattuck? Know who this is, don't you? Yes, that's right....
Say, how many folks listen every time a bell rings on this line? I've
heard no less'n eight receivers come down so far.... Two of 'em went up
then, did you hear 'em?... Sartin.... I want to hire a team to go over
home with.... To-night--Sartin.... I don't care.... Yes, you will,
too.... _Yes_, you _will_... Send my man back with it to-morrow... I
don't care _what_ it is, so it's got four legs and wheels...."

And so on for at least five minutes. Then the captain hung up the
receiver and came back to the waiting room.

"Bargain's made, Mr. Graves," he announced. "Pete'll have some sort of
a turn-out alongside soon's he can get it harnessed. If you've got any
extra storm duds in that satchel of yours, I'd advise you to put 'em on.
We're goin' to have a rough passage."

Just how rough it was likely to be, Graves realized when he emerged from
the station to board the Shattuck buggy. "Pete" himself had driven the
equipage over from the livery stable.

"I wouldn't do this for anybody but you, Cap'n," he vouchsafed, in what
might be called a reproachful shout. Shouting was necessary, owing to
the noise of the storm.

"Wouldn't do what?" replied the captain, looking first at the ancient
horse and then at the battered buggy.

"Let thi