in-law you'd make; take it the other way, and I ain't
particular about doing anything to accommodate anybody in the Marston
family." He eyed them sardonically.

"So, you see, I'm betwixt and between in the matter! It's like settling
a question by flipping a cent. And I'll tell you what I'm going to do!"
He smacked his palm on the table. He strode back toward the stateroom
door. "Mate, ahoy, there! Sailor to sailor, now, and remember that you
have asked something of _me!_ If you were captain of this schooner would
you marry off these two?"

They waited in silence, in which they heard the whummle and screech
of the wind outside and the angry squalling of the sheathing of the
plunging schooner's cabin walls.

The voice which replied to Captain Downs's query did not sound human. It
was a sort of muffled wail, but there was no mistaking its positiveness.

"No!" said the man behind the door.

Back to the table lurched Captain Downs. He pounded down his fist. "That
settles it with me!" Then he poised his big hand on the edge of the
table-cover. "I was ready to tip one way or the other and it needed
only a little push. I have tipped." Down came the palm flat on the
table-cloth with final and decisive firmness. "Young man," he informed
Bradish, "there's an extra stateroom, there, off this dining-saloon. You
take it!"

"What can I tell my father?" wailed the girl, the fire of her
determination suddenly quenched by sobbing helplessness.

"You can tell him that I temporarily adopted you as my daughter at three
bells on this particular evening, and I'll go to him and back you up if
it becomes necessary." He opened the door leading aft and bowed. "Now,
you trot along to your stateroom, sissy!"

After hesitating a few moments she hurried away. The skipper locked the
door and slipped the key into his pocket.

"Do you think I'm going to--" began Bradish, angrily.

"I ain't wasting any thoughts on you, sir. I'm saving 'em all for the
_Drusilla M. Alden_ just now."

The craft's plunging roll gave evidence that the sea was making. At
that instant the first mate came down a few steps of the forward
companionway, entering through the coach-house door.

"She's breezing up fresh from east'ard, sir!" he reported.

"So I've judged from the way this sheathing is talking up. I'll be on
deck at once, Mr. Dodge."

That report was a summons to a sailor; Mayo came staggering out of the
stateroom. He looked neither to right nor left no