d any little of anything.

"Labe!" she said again. "Laban Ginn! When--WHERE did you come from?"

"Oh, from all 'round. Trumet was my last port and I made that by way of
Malagy and Philadelphy. But I'm here, anyhow, and that's somethin'. My!
it's good to see you. You look as natural as life. Set down and let's
look at you."

The housekeeper sat down; she appeared glad of the opportunity. Her
husband faced her, grinning broadly.

"Just as handsome as ever; hey, old lady," he observed. "And look at
the duds! Say, you're rigged up fine, from truck to keelson, ain't you,
Zuby! Never seen you rigged finer. A body would think she knew I was
comin', wouldn't they, Cap'n Dan?"

Daniel did not answer, although he seemed much interested in the
situation.

Azuba drew a hand across her forehead.

"I DIDN'T know it," she declared emphatically. "Indeed, I didn't! Why
didn't you write me, Laban Ginn?"

"Write! Write nothin'! I wanted to surprise you. But there, there! Don't
set around in that rig any longer. Makes me feel as if you'd come to
call on the parson. Take off your coat and bonnet and let's be sociable.
And while we're talkin' you turn to and get supper. I'm pretty nigh
starved to death. So's the cap'n; he said so."

Mrs. Ginn looked at Captain Dan. There was a twinkle in his eye. Azuba
noticed that twinkle.

"Laban," she stammered, "I--I--I CAN'T stay here and get supper
to-night. I can't."

Laban was tremendously surprised--at least he pretended to be.

"Can't!" he repeated. "Can't stay here, when I've just got home?"

"No, I can't. If I had known you was comin' 'twould have been different.
But I didn't know it."

"What difference does that make? Zuby, don't make me laugh; I'm too
hungry for jokin'. Take off your bonnet, now; take it off."

"I mustn't, really, Labe. It's lodge night and they expect me. I--"

"Take off your bonnet!"

"I can't! ... Well, I will, for just a minute." The last sentence was
added in a great hurry, for her husband showed signs of preparing to
remove the headgear with his own hands. She placed the bonnet on the
table and fidgeted in her chair, glancing first at her employer and then
at the clock. Captain Dan was smiling broadly.

"That's fine!" exclaimed Mr. Ginn. "Now you look like home folks. Now
she'll get us some supper, won't she, Cap'n?"

Again Daniel did not answer, but his smile, as Azuba interpreted it, was
provokingly triumphant. Her lips closed tightly.

"I can'