time during flood-tide would do
for him, and he had some business that he wanted to attend to as soon
as possible.

This suited the two captains very well, for they wished to be on hand
when the little girl discovered her stocking.

"Can you tell me," said the stranger, as he put on his cap, "where I
can find a Mrs. Trimmer, who lives in this village?"

At these words all the sturdy stiffness which, from his youth up, had
characterized the legs of Captain Eli entirely went out of them, and he
sat suddenly upon a bench. For a few moments there was silence.

Then Captain Cephas, who thought some answer should be made to the
question, nodded his head.

"I want to see her as soon as I can," said the stranger. "I have come
to see her on particular business that will be a surprise to her. I
wanted to be here before Christmas began, and that's the reason I took
that cat-boat from Stetford, because I thought I'd come quicker that
way than by land. But the wind fell, as I told you. If either one of
you would be good enough to pilot me to where Mrs. Trimmer lives, or to
any point where I can get a sight of the place, I'd be obliged."

Captain Eli rose and with hurried but unsteady steps went into the
house (for they had been upon the little piazza), and beckoned to his
friend to follow. The two men stood in the kitchen and looked at each
other. The face of Captain Eli was of the hue of a clam-shell.

"Go with him, cap'n," he said in a hoarse whisper. "I can't do it."

"To your house?" inquired the other.

"Of course. Take him to my house. There ain't no other place where
she is. Take him along."

Captain Cephas's countenance wore an air of the deepest concern, but he
thought that the best thing to do was to get the stranger away.

As they walked rapidly toward Captain Eli's house there was
very little said by either Captain Cephas or the stranger. The latter
seemed anxious to give Mrs. Trimmer a surprise, and not to say anything
which might enable another person to interfere with his project.

The two men had scarcely stepped upon the piazza when Mrs. Trimmer, who
had been expecting early visitors, opened the door. She was about to
call out "Merry Christmas!" but, her eyes falling upon a stranger, the
words stopped at her lips. First she turned red, then she turned pale,
and Captain Cephas thought she was about to fall. But before she could
do this the stranger had her in his arms. She opened her ey