ny
things--studied books, and taken journeys, and made friends, and painted
pictures, flowers, and such. And I've tried to paint the sea, but I
can't make it move and seem like a real sea."

"Oh, Missy, how smart you must be!"

"There are so many things I don't know," she laughed. "And now tell me
about yourself and why you did not come back."

"We had a pretty fair journey all along first. But as we were nearing
Torres Strait an awful storm took us, and we were driven ashore almost a
wreck and lost two of our men. After a while we got patched up and set
sail again, but I was afraid we would never reach harbor. Howsomever we
did, in a pretty bad condition. Poor _Flying Star_ seemed on its last
legs and 'twasn't sea legs either. Then I went up to Hong Kong and
cruised around, buying stuff and selling it elsewhere. The _Flying Star_
was patched up again, but she wasn't thought safe for a long journey.
But there was plenty of work near at hand. Of course, I knew all about
your father, and that the word must have reached you, but I hated
mortally to come back and face you. But after a while the hankerin' for
old Salem grew upon me. And there was the _Aurora_ wantin' a captain,
for the man who brought her out died of a fever. So says I, 'I'm your
man, and I've been over often enough to know the ropes, the islands, and
p'ints of danger and safe sailing.' So here I be once more. But jiminy
Peter! I should hardly 'a' knowed little old Salem. Why, she looks as if
she was going to outsail all creation!"

"Oh, we're getting very grand. New streets, and splendid new houses, and
stores, and churches. Why, Boston isn't very much finer."

"Don't b'lieve Boston harbor can show tonnage with her! And where's
first mate?"

"I don't know, but he will be in soon. Oh, there's Rachel. Rachel, come
here to an old friend."

The captain shook hands heartily. "Why, you don't seem to have changed a
mite, only to grow younger and plump as a partridge."

It had all to be talked over again and in the midst of it supper was
ready, and there was Miss Eunice's surprise. Cynthia could hardly eat,
the long journey and the dangers seemed such a strange thing now. Had
she really come from India, or was it all a dream?

Yes, old Salem was almost fading out of the minds of even middle-aged
people. There were curious stories told about witches and ghosts, but
the real witchcraft was dying out of mind and the old houses that had
been associated with