were saying that the heroine's father was an inventor."

"That's what _he_ said he was, though he never furnished any proof. His
daughter helped him with his inventions, but if she'd cut his hair
once in a while 'twould have been a better way of puttin' in the time,
'cordin' to my notion. And there was a rich squire, who made his money
by speculatin' in wickedness, and a mortgage, and--I don't know what
all. And those Cape Cod folks! and the houses they lived in! and the way
they talked! Oh, dear! oh, dear! I got my money's wuth that afternoon."

"What about the wreck? How did that happen?"

"Don't know. It happened 'cause it had to be in the play, I cal'late.
The mortgage, or an 'invention' or somethin', was on board the bark and
just naturally took a short cut for home, way I figgered it out.
But, Jim, you ought to have seen that hero! He peeled off his
ileskin-slicker--he'd kept it on all through the sunshine, but now, when
'twas rainin' and rainin' and wreckin' and thunderin', he shed it--and
jumped in and saved all hands and the ship's cat. 'Twas great business!
No wonder the life-savers set off fireworks! And thunder! Why, say, it
never stopped thunderin' in that storm except when somebody had to make
a heroic speech; then it let up and give 'em a chance. Most considerate
thunder ever I heard. And the lightnin'! and the way the dust flew from
the breakers! I was glad I went.... There!" appearing fully dressed from
behind the curtains. "I'm ready if you are. Did I talk your head off? I
ask your pardon; but that 'Heart of a Sailor' touched mine, I guess. I
know I was afraid I'd laugh until it stopped beatin'. And all around the
people were cryin'. It was enough sight damper amongst the seats than in
those cloth waves."

The pair walked over to Broadway, boarded a street car, and alighted
before the Metropolitan Opera House. Pearson's seats were good ones,
well down in the orchestra. Captain Elisha turned and surveyed the great
interior and the brilliantly garbed audience.

"Whew!" he muttered. "This is considerable of a show in itself, Jim.
They could put our town hall inside here and the folks on the roof
wouldn't be so high as those in that main skys'l gallery up aloft there.
Can they see or hear, do you think?"

"Oh, yes. The accepted idea is that they are the real music lovers.
_they_ come for the opera itself. Some of the others come because--well,
because it is the proper thing."

"Yes, yes; I see. Tha