ropped the knife an'
tater, an' looked at me as if I'd done somethin' t' him. I ran crost t'
him an' stood by, so t' speak. Then he kinder laughed an' said, distant
an' thick, 'That was comical! I felt like my works had run down!' Billy
ain't what he once was."

Davy set his lips in a grim line.

"He ought t' have a lighter job!" he muttered. "How is he now?"

"Oh! he's come round. But spells is spells an' yer got t' look out.
Don't tell Janet; Billy was sot agin that, somethin' fierce."

"I don't know as Billy should want t' shield her more'n common sense
p'ints. I feel she ought t' know. 'T ain't pleasant t' get a knock in
the back of yer head; an' that's what Janet's goin' t' get some day
about Billy."

"He says she knows enough; an' he ain't goin' t' have her pestered."

"Well, t'-morrer I'm goin' on," nodded Davy, "an' Billy ain't goin' t'
honey fugle me none. Arter I cast my eye on him, I'm goin' t' give
myself orders. Sighted anythin' lately?"

"A schooner got mighty near the bar 'long 'bout sundown last night.
Kinder skittish actin' hussy she was, but she turned out an' cleared off
without much trouble. We was all ready fur her."

"Big sea, too!"

"Powerful! An' I tole Cap'n that I've got kind o' superstitious 'bout
them boats as make a near call an' then sidle off. Twict durin' my time
a real thing has happened soon after. Seems like they come t' see if yer
watchin'; kinder gettin' yer attention, so t' speak, an' warnin' ye that
ye ain't there fur fun. I'm goin' on 'bout three this afternoon. Sky
looks nasty."

"It does that!" agreed Davy, "an' it's my turn up aloft t'-night. I
somehow feel more certain when I'm there myself in foul weather. Mark
ain't never done anythin' t' cause me t' distrust him, but Lord! he's
got that unfortnit air of makin' ye distrust yerself about him."

"Mark lacks salt!" John laughed good-naturedly. "If he an' Pa had a dash
o' seasonin' in 'em, they'd be all right; they're flat, that's all."

"Like as not!" Davy said; "but flats ain't the best kind o' things t'
run on, in a storm."

So Davy held his peace regarding Billy's spell, until he could have a
look at Billy himself; and all that cold, dreary day Janet worked at the
small fussy things of her daily life, keeping her hands busy but having
time and to spare for her active brain to wander far. She lived over
again the summer, the wonderful summer. She felt the yearning for books
and the quiet of the Bluff Head libr