rrupted. From the dining room came the sound of rushing
feet. Primmie burst into the room. She was wildly excited.

"My Lord of Isrul, Miss Martha!" she cried. "It's them come back. It is,
it is, it is!"

"Who? Who, Primmie?" demanded Miss Phipps. "Stop flappin' your
wings--arms, I mean. Who's come back?"

"The sperit folks. All hands of 'em, Marietta and 'Phelia Beebe and Abe
Hardin' and Cap'n Jeth and all. And--and they're comin' in here--and
here's Nelson right where Cap'n Jeth can catch him. Oh, my savin' soul!"

From behind her agitated shoulder peered the countenance of Mr. Bloomer.

"She's right, Lulie," observed Zach, with calm emphasis. "The whole crew
of ghost seiners is back here in port again, Cap'n Jeth and all. Better
beat for open water, hadn't you, Nelse, eh? Be the divil to pay if you
don't.... Godfreys, yes!"

CHAPTER VII

The announcement exploded like a bomb in the midst of the little group
in the light keeper's sitting room. Lulie turned a trifle pale and
looked worried and alarmed. Martha uttered an exclamation, dropped the
window shade and turned toward her young friend. Mr. Bangs looked from
one to the other and was plainly very anxious to help in some way
but not certain how to begin. Of the four Nelson Howard, the one most
concerned, appeared least disturbed. It was he who spoke first and his
tone was brisk and businesslike.

"Well, Lulie," he said, "what do you want me to do? Shall I stay and
face it out? I don't mind. There's nothing for us to be ashamed of, you
know."

But Lulie shook her head. "Oh, no, no, Nelson," she cried, "you mustn't.
You had better go, right away. There will be a scene, and with all those
people here--"

Miss Phipps put in a word. "But perhaps Nelson's right, after all,
Lulie," she said. "There is no reason in the world why he shouldn't
come to see you, and maybe he and Cap'n Jeth might as well have a plain
understandin' now as any time."

Miss Hallett's agitation increased. "Oh, no," she cried, again. "Don't
you see it mustn't happen, on father's account? You know how he--you
know how excited and--and almost violent he gets when any one crosses
him nowadays. I'm afraid something might happen to him. I'm afraid.
Please go, Nelson, for my sake."

The young man nodded. "Of course, Lulie," he declared. "You're perfectly
right. I'm off. Good-night."

He was hastening toward the dining room door, but Primmie, dancing up
and down like a jumping jack,