punishments are laid onto me. I suppose likely that's it."

Galusha, of course, did not understand, but as the captain seemed to
expect him to make some remark, he said: "Oh--ah--dear me! Indeed?
Ah--punishments?"

"Yes. I don't know what else they are. When your own flesh and blood--"
He stopped in the middle of his sentence, sighed, and added: "Well,
never mind. But I need counsel, Mr. Bangs, counsel."

Again Galusha scarcely knew what to say.

"Why--ah--Captain Hallett," he stammered, "I doubt if my advice would be
worth much, really, but such as it is I assure you it--"

Captain Jethro interrupted.

"Counsel from this earth won't help me any, Mr. Bangs," he declared.
"It's higher counsel that I need. Um-hm, higher."

He walked away without saying more. Galusha wondered what had set him
off upon that tack. That afternoon, while in the village, he met Nelson
Howard and the latter furnished an explanation. It seemed that the young
man had been to see Captain Jethro, had dared to call at the light with
the deliberate intention of seeing and interviewing him on the subject
of his daughter. The interview had not been long, nor as stormy as
Nelson anticipated; but neither had it been satisfactory.

"It's those confounded 'spirits' that are rocking the boat," declared
Nelson. "The old man practically said just that. He seems to have gotten
over some of his bitterness against me--perhaps it is, as you say, Mr.
Bangs, because I have a better position now and good prospects. Perhaps
it is that, I don't know. But he still won't consider my marrying Lulie.
He seems to realize that we could marry and that he couldn't stop us,
but I think he realizes, too, that neither Lulie nor I would think of
doing it against his will. 'But why, Cap'n Hallett?' I kept saying.
'WHY? What is the reason you are so down on me?' And all I could get out
of him was the old stuff about 'revelations' and 'word from above' and
all that. We didn't get much of anywhere. Oh, pshaw! Wouldn't it make
you tired? Say, Mr. Bangs, the last time you and I talked you said you
were going to 'consider' those Marietta Hoag spirits. I don't know what
you meant, but if you could consider some sense into them and into Cap'n
Jeth's stubborn old head, I wish you would."

Galusha smiled and said he would try. "I don't exactly know what
I meant, myself, by considering them," he admitted. "However,
I--ah--doubtless meant something and I'll try and--ah--consider what