ly, the Cy Whittaker place was ready for occupancy. The pictures
were in their places on the walls, the old-fashioned furniture filled
the rooms, there was even a pile of old magazines, back numbers of
Godey's Lady's Book, on the shelf in the sitting room closet.

Then, when Captain Cy had notified Mrs. Bangs that the perfect boarding
house would shelter him no longer than the coming week, a new problem
arose.

"Whit," said Asaph earnestly, "you've sartin made the place rise up out
of its tomb; you have so. It's a miracle, pretty nigh, and I cal'late
it must have cost a heap, but you've done it--all but the old folks
themselves. You can't raise them up, Cy; money won't do that. And you
can't live in this great house all alone. Who's goin' to cook for you,
and sweep and dust, and swab decks, and one thing a'nother? You'll have
to have a housekeeper, as I told you a spell ago. Have you done any
thinkin' about that?"

And the captain, taking his pipe from his lips, stared blankly at his
friend, and answered:

"By the big dipper, Ase, I ain't! I remember we did mention it, but I've
been so busy gettin' this craft off the ways that I forgot all about
it."

The discussion which followed Mr. Tidditt's reminder was long and
serious. Asaph and Bailey Bangs racked their brains and offered numerous
suggestions, but the majority of these were not favorably received.

"There's Matildy Tripp," said Bailey. "She'd like the job, I'm sartin.
She's a widow, too, and she's had experience keepin' house along of
Tobias, him that was her husband. But, if you do hire her, don't let
Ketury know I hinted at it, 'cause we're goin' to lose one boarder
when you quit, and that's too many, 'cordin' to the old lady's way of
thinkin'."

"You can keep Matildy, for all me," replied the captain decidedly.
"Come-Outer religion's all right, for those that have that kind of
appetite, but havin' it passed to me three times a day, same as I've
had it at your house, is enough; I don't hanker to have it warmed over
between meals. If I shipped Matildy aboard here she and the Reverend
Daniels would stand over me, watch and watch, till I was converted or
crazy, one or the other."

"Well, there's Angie. She--"

"Angie!" sniffed Mr. Tidditt. "Stop your jokin', Bailey. This is a
serious matter."

"I wan't jokin'. What--"

"There! there! boys," interrupted the captain; "don't fight. Bailey
didn't mean to joke, Ase; he's full of what the papers call 'unc