Janet paused, and the face she turned up to the balcony moved the hearts
of both men to alarm.

"I cannot wait!" she called back. "I'm going to Cap'n Daddy!" Then a
thought caused her to add, "Don't either of you come after me! I want
nobody but my Cap'n Billy."

"Now, what's knocked her endwise?" groaned Davy, staring blankly at
Mark.

"Like as not she's been gettin' a cargo that she don't fancy, up to
Bluff Head." Mark's face was drawn with pity. "I come down on the train
with Mr. Devant. Maybe he's set her straight 'bout that
Land-lubber-of-the-Hills!"

Poor Davy, detached by his duties and environments from the common
gossip of his kind, bent a puzzled look upon his companion.

"Land-lubber-of-the-Hills? What in the name o' Sin be ye talkin' of?"

"Don't you know what they say 'bout her?" asked Mark, his dull eyes
fixed on the sail of the _Comrade_, as it put off from the dock.

"No. I ain't never had time, above my duties, to do more'n sleep an'
eat," David replied. "But I've got time now t' stand up fur that girl
yonder, if any consarned gossip takes t' handlin' her name lightly. That
girl's put in my care by Billy, an' Billy an' me have stood by each
other through many a gale. An' now, Mark Tapkins, I'd like t' hear what
ye've got t' say out plain an' unvarnished. I don't want no gibin'. I
only got one way o' hearin' an' talkin'." Mark drew back from the calm,
lowering face of the keeper.

"Nation!" he gasped, "you don't think I'm agin her, do you, Davy?"

"I ain't carin' whether ye be or no. Like as not, if she's shook ye, yer
full of resentment. Them is young folks' ways. But fur or agin her, if
ye can harbor scandal about Billy's Janet, ye've got t' share it with
me what knows how t' strangle it fust an' last. Spit it out now!"

Mark drew himself together with a mighty effort. Recent events were
wearing upon his vitality.

"They say, Janet is mixed up 'long with a feller what painted her, over
on the Hills!" he spoke as guiltily as though he alone were responsible
for the report.

"Who says so?" Davy's bushy eyebrows almost hid his kindly eyes.

"Well, Mrs. Jo G. fur one!"

"Ye can't knock a woman down. Ain't there some one else that I kin begin
on?"

"Well, it's kind o' common talk. Floatin' round like eelgrass up the
creek. I s'pose it's sunk int' some kind of bottom of fact, as t' who
started the rumor, but it's jest slippin' around now, on top."

"'T is, hey? Well, 't ain't the fust