friend of Kate's and mine. We often met him, and grew
much interested in him before we knew him well. He had a reputation in
town for being peculiar and somewhat visionary; but every one seemed to
like him, and at last one morning, when we happened to be on our way to
the wharves, we stopped at the door of an old warehouse which we had
never seen opened before. Captain Sands sat just inside, smoking his
pipe, and we said good morning, and asked him if he did not think there
was a fog coming in by and by. We had thought a little of going out to
the lighthouse. The cap'n rose slowly, and came out so that he could see
farther round to the east. "There's some scud coming in a'ready," said
he. "None to speak of yet, I don't know's you can see it,--yes, you're
right; there's a heavy bank of fog lyin' off, but it won't be in under
two or three hours yet, unless the wind backs round more and freshens
up. Weren't thinking of going out, were ye?"

"A little," said Kate, "but we had nearly given it up. We are getting to
be very weather-wise, and we pride ourselves on being quick at seeing
fogs." At which the cap'n smiled and said we were consider'ble young to
know much about weather, but it looked well that we took some interest
in it; most young people were fools about weather, and would just as
soon set off to go anywhere right under the edge of a thunder-shower.
"Come in and set down, won't ye?" he added; "it ain't much of a place;
I've got a lot of old stuff stowed away here that the women-folks don't
want up to the house. I'm a great hand for keeping things." And he
looked round fondly at the contents of the wide low room. "I come down
here once in a while and let in the sun, and sometimes I want to hunt up
something or 'nother; kind of stow-away place, ye see." And then he
laughed apologetically, rubbing his hands together, and looking out to
sea again as if he wished to appear unconcerned; yet we saw that he
wondered if we thought it ridiculous for a man of his age to have
treasured up so much trumpery in that cobwebby place. There were some
whole oars and the sail of his boat and two or three killicks and
painters, not to forget a heap of worn-out oars and sails in one corner
and a sailor's hammock slung across the beam overhead, and there were
some sailor's chests and the capstan of a ship and innumerable boxes
which all seemed to be stuffed full, besides no end of things lying on
the floor and packed away on shelves and