here ain't no use," continued the boy, "o' bringin' out the
teapot, 'cause there ain't a grain o' tea nowheres."

"Oh! I forgot," returned old Liz, slightly confused; "I've just run out
o' tea, Cap'n Blake, an' I haven't a copper at _present_ to buy any,
but--"

"Never mind that old girl; and I ain't quite captain yet, though
trendin' in that direction. You come out along wi' me, Tommy. I'll
soon putt these matters to rights."

Old Liz could not have remonstrated even if she had wished to do so, for
her impulsive visitor was gone in a moment followed by his extremely
willing little friend. They returned in quarter of an hour.

"There you are," said the seaman, taking the articles one by one from a
basket carried by Tommy; "a big loaf, pound o' butter, ditto tea, three
pound o' sugar, six eggs, hunk o' cheese, paper o' salt--forgot the
pepper; never mind."

"You've bin an' forgot the sassengers too--but here they are," said
Tommy, plucking the delectable viands from the bottom of the basket with
a look of glee, and laying them on the table.

Chimney-pot Liz did not look surprised; she only smiled and nodded her
head approvingly, for she felt that Sam Blake understood the right thing
to do and did it.

Soon the celebrated teapot was going the round, full swing, while the
air was redolent of fried sausage and cheese mingled with the perfume of
roses and mignonette, for this meal, you must know, was eaten in the
garden in the afternoon sunshine, while the cooking--done in the attic
which opened on the garden--was accomplished by Sam assisted by Tommy.

"Well, you _air_ a trump," said the latter to the former as he sat down,
greasy and glowing, beside the seaman at the small table where old Liz
presided like a humble duchess.

We need hardly say that the conversation was animated, and that it bore
largely on the life-history of the absent Susy.

"You're quite sure that she'll be here by ten?" asked the excited father
for the fiftieth time that afternoon.

"Yes, I'm sure of it--unless she's kep' late," answered Liz.

But Susy did _not_ return at the usual hour, so her impatient father was
forced to conclude that she _had_ been "kep' late"--too late. In his
anxiety he resolved to sally forth under the guidance of Tommy Splint to
inquire for the missing Susy at the well-known establishment of Stickle
and Screw.

Let us anticipate him in that quest. At the usual hour that night the
employes of Stickle and S