y and
favored his daughter with a glare meant to be pregnant with parental
authority.

"But, father, listen to reason!" cried Nellie; "here is mother to take
care of the three small children, and here am I with nothing whatever
to do. Be sensible and let me go along. I certainly ought to be able
to help in some way."

"But," expostulated the captain, "girls don't go on fishing-trips."

"Suppose the cook should fall sick or be hurt, then I would come in
handy, wouldn't I? But all this is not the real point. Things are
different with us than they have ever been before; we have no home,
and mother and the children have to board with Ma Sprague. If I stayed
here I should be a burden, and I couldn't stand that."

Bijonah scratched his head and looked at the girl helplessly. He had
yet to score his first victory over her in an argument.

"Have you asked your mother?" he queried at last, seeking his
time-worn refuge.

"Yes," said she, brightening at the imminence of victory, "and she
says she thinks it will be just the thing."

"All right," said Bijonah weakly; "come along then. But mind, you'll
find things different. Your mother is boss of any land she puts her
foot on, but once I get the _Rosan_ past Swallowtail _my_ word goes."

"All right, daddy dear," laughed the girl; "I know you'll be just the
finest captain I ever sailed with." She kissed him impulsively and ran
up-stairs to tell her mother the good news.

The departure of the fleet from Grande Mignon was a sad day in the
history of the island.

The sun had hardly shown red and dripping from the sea when all the
inhabitants were astir. Men from as far south as Seal Cove and Great
Harbor clattered up the King's Road in rickety vehicles, accompanied
by their families and their dunnage.

In Freekirk Head alone less than ten men would be left ashore. Of
these, one was Bill Boughton, the storekeeper, who was to arrange for
the disposal of the catch; but the others were either incapacitated,
sick, or old. The five aged fishermen, who subsisted on the charity
of the town, formed a delegation on one stringpiece to wave the fleet
farewell.

Altogether there were fifteen boats, ten schooners, and five sloops,
carrying in all more than a hundred and twenty-five men. The whole
resource of the island had been expended to provide tubs of bait and
barrels of salt enough for all these, let alone the provisions.

The men either shipped on shares or, if they were fearfu