Cy."

The captain removed his coat and hat and pulled a chair forward to the
table.

"Hello!" he exclaimed. "What's this--the mail?"

Bos'n smiled delightedly.

"Yes, sir," she replied. "I knew you was at the meeting and so I brought
it from the office. Ain't you glad?"

"Sure! Yes, indeed! Much obliged. Tryin' to keep house without you would
be like steerin' without a rudder."

Even as he said it there came to him the realization that he might have
to steer without that rudder in the near future. His smile vanished. He
smothered a groan and picked up the mail.

"Hum!" he mused, "the Breeze, a circular, and one letter. Hello! it
isn't possible that--Well! well!"

The letter was in a long envelope. He hastily tore it open. At the
inclosure he glanced in evident excitement. Then his smile returned.

"Bos'n," he said, after a moment's reflection, "I guess you and me
won't have to go to Ostable after all." Noticing the child's look of
disappointment, he added: "But you needn't go to school. Maybe you'd
better not. You and me'll take a tramp alongshore. What do you say?"

"Oh, yes, Uncle Cy! Let's--shall we?"

"Why, I don't see why not. We'll cruise in company as long as we
can, hey, little girl? The squall's likely to strike afore night," he
muttered half aloud. "We'll enjoy the fine weather till it's time to
shorten sail."

They walked all that afternoon. Captain Cy was even more kind and gentle
with his small companion than usual. He told her stories which made her
laugh, pointed out spots in the pines where he had played Indian when a
boy, carried her "pig back" when she grew tired, and kissed her tenderly
when, at the back door of the Whittaker place, he set her on her feet
again.

"Had a good time, dearie?" he asked.

"Oh, splendid! I think it's the best walk we ever had, don't you, Uncle
Cy?"

"I shouldn't wonder. You won't forget our cruises together when you are
a big girl and off somewheres else, will you?"

"I'll NEVER forget 'em. And I'm never going anywhere without you."

It was after five as they entered the kitchen.

"Anybody been here while I was out?" asked the captain of Georgianna.
The housekeeper's eyes were red and swollen, and she hugged Bos'n as she
helped her off with her jacket and hood.

"Yes, there has," was the decided answer. "First Ase Tidditt, and then
Bailey Bangs, and then that--that Angie Phinney."

"Humph!" mused Captain Cy slowly. "So Angie was here, was she? Wher