, had come
to Simmons's for his mail. He greeted me cordially.

"Hello, Kent," he hailed. "How are you?"

"About the same as usual, Captain," I answered, shortly.

"That's pretty fair, by the looks. You don't look too happy, though,
come to notice it. What's the matter; got bad news?"

"No. I haven't any news, good or bad."

"That so? Then I'll give you some. Phoebe and I are going to start for
California to-morrow."

"You are? To California? Why?"

"Oh, just for instance, that's all. Time's come when I have to go
somewhere, and the Yosemite and the big trees look good to me. It's this
way, Kent; I like Bayport, you know that. Nobody's more in love with
this old town than I am; it's my home and I mean to live and die here,
if I have luck. But it don't do for me to stay here all the time. If I
do I begin to be no good, like a strawberry plant that's been kept in
one place too long and has quit bearin.' The only thing to do with that
plant is to transplant it and let it get nourishment in a new spot. Then
you can move it back by and by and it's all right. Same way with me.
Every once in a while I have to be transplanted so's to freshen up. My
brains need somethin' besides post-office talk and sewin'-circle gossip
to keep them from shrivelin'. I was commencin' to feel the shrivel,
so it's California for Phoebe and me. Better come along, Kent. You're
beginnin' to shrivel a little, ain't you?"

Was it as apparent as all that? I was indignant.

"Do I look it?" I demanded.

"No--o, but I ain't sure that you don't act it. No offence, you
understand. Just a little ground bait to coax you to come on the
California cruise along with Phoebe and me, that's all."

It was not likely that I should accept. Two are company and three a
crowd, and if ever two were company Captain Cy and his wife were those
two. I thanked him and declined, but I asked a question.

"You believe in travel as a restorative, you do?" I asked.

"Hey? I sartin do. Change your course once in awhile, same as you change
your clothes. Wearin' the same suit and cruisin' in the same puddle all
the time ain't healthy. You're too apt to get sick of the clothes and
puddle both."

"But you don't believe in traveling alone, do you?"

"No," emphatically, "I don't, generally speakin.' If you go off by
yourself you're too likely to keep thinkin' ABOUT yourself. Take
somebody with you; somebody you're used to and know well and like,
though. Travelin' with str