en," giggled Amelia.

Anne said nothing. The darkness, the crashing storm outside, and
Judy's illness had upset her, and she shivered with apprehension.

"No," Nannie flared, with a scornful look at Amelia and Judy, "it isn't
a cat and it isn't a hen. IT sneezed!"

"Ask who's there," advised Judy from her couch.

"I don't dare," said Nannie.

"I don't dare," said Amelia.

So that it was little timid Anne, after all, who gathered up her
courage and went to the foot of the stairs and said in a trembling
voice:

"Please, who is up there?"

For a moment there was silence, and then some one said in sepulchral
tones:

"You won't ever tell?"

The girls stared at each other.

"What shall we say?" whispered Anne.

"Say 'never,'" suggested Judy, wishing she were well enough to manage
this exciting episode.

"NEVER," said the little girls all together.

There was a rustling in the hay in the loft, then cautious steps, and a
figure appeared at the top of the stairs.

At sight of it, Amelia shrieked and Nannie giggled, but Anne ran
forward with both hands out, and with her fair little face alight with
welcome.

"Why, Tommy Tolliver, Tommy Tolliver," she said, "is it really you, is
it really, really you?"

CHAPTER VII

TOMMY TOLLIVER: SEAMAN

Tommy shook hands with Anne, then sat down disconsolately on the bottom
step.

"Yes," he said, "it's me."

After a moment's uncomfortable silence, Anne asked, "Didn't you like
it, Tommy?"

Tommy looked gloomy.

"Aw," he burst out, "they thought I was too young--"

"Did you go as far as China?" questioned Amelia, eagerly.

"Of course he didn't, Amelia," said Nannie with a superior air; "he has
only been away three weeks."

"Then you didn't get me any preserved ginger," pouted Amelia.

"How could I?" But Tommy looked sheepish, as the memory of certain
boastful promises came to him.

"Anyhow," he announced suddenly, "I'm not going to give up. I am going
to be a sailor some day--if I have to run away again."

At that Judy sat up and fixed him with burning eyes.

"Did you go to sea?" she asked, intensely.

"I tried to."

"How far did you get?"

"To Baltimore."

"And they wouldn't have you?"

"No. And I had used up all my money, so I had to come back."

"Have you ever been on the ocean?"

"No. Have you?"

"Yes. My father was in the navy."

"Gee--" Tommy drew near to this fascinating stranger.

"The next time you want to run away,