lain boiled cabbage for all the heed
taken, and you knowin' all the while that a woman's at the bottom of
it."

Fancy moved to the door. "Well," said she, "I'm sorry for the cause of
it: but duty's duty, and I reckon I've news to make 'em sit up."

She went downstairs resolutely and knocked at Cai's parlour door.

"Come in! . . . Eh, so it's you, missy? No worse news of the invalid, I
hope?"

"He isn' goin' to die to-day, nor yet to-morrow, if that's what you
mean. May I take a chair?"

"Why, to be sure."

"Thank you." Fancy seated herself. "If you please, Cap'n Hocken, I got
a very funny question to ask."

"Well?"

"You mustn't think I'm inquisitive--"

"Go on."

"If you please, Cap'n Hocken, are you very fond indeed of Mrs Bosenna?"

Cai turned about to the hearth and stooped for the tongs, as if to place
a lump of coal on the fire. Then he seemed to realise that, the season
being early summer, there was no fire and the tongs and coal-scuttle had
been removed. He straightened himself up slowly and faced about again,
very red and confused (but the flush may have come from his stooping).

"So we're not inquisitive, aren't we? Well, missy, appearances are
deceptive sometimes--that's all I say."

"But I'm not askin' out o' curiosity--really an' truly. And please
don't turn me out an' warn me to mind my own business; for it _is_ my
business, in a way. . . . I'll explain it all, later on, if only you'll
tell."

"I admire Mrs Bosenna very much indeed," said Cai slowly. "There now,--
will that satisfy you?"

Fancy shook her head. "Not quite," she confessed, "I want to know, Are
you so fond of her that you wouldn' give her up, not on any account?"

Cai flushed again. "Well, missy, since you put it that way, we'll make
it so."

Still the answer did not appear to satisfy the child. She fidgetted in
her chair a little, but without offering to go.

"Not for no one in the wide world?" she asked at length.

"Why, see here,"--Cai met her gaze shyly--"isn't that the right way to
feel when you want to make a woman your wife?"

"Ye-es--I suppose so," admitted Fancy with a sigh. "But it makes things
so awkward--" She paused and knit her brows, as one considering a hard
problem.

"What's awkward?"

Her response to this, delayed for a few seconds, was evasive when it
came.

"I used to think you an' Cap'n Hunken was such friends there was nothin'
in the world you wouldn' do for him."

"Ah!" C