oking fit; "I can't well avoid tellin' them somethin' about it, for
they've a right to know, but--"

"Wouldn't it save you all trouble, then," broke in Kate, seeing his
hesitation, "to tell them just as much of the business as they were
entitled to know, and no more."

"That's just the very thing I mean to do," replied the captain, bursting
into a laugh so deep and thunderous that the small domestic, Liffie Lee,
entered the room abruptly to ask if anything was wanted, but in reality
to find out what all the fun was about. Having been dismissed with a
caution not to intrude again till rung for, the captain helped himself
to an enormous slice of beef; earnestly, but unsuccessfully, pressed the
sisters to "go in for more and grow fat," and then continued his
discourse.

"You must know, ladies, that I have taken to studyin' a good deal in my
old age. Another potato--thank 'ee."

"Yes, we have observed that," said Kate. "May I ask what is the nature
of your studies--navigation?"

"Navigation!" shouted the captain with another laugh so rich and racy
that poor Liffie Lee almost entered in defiance of orders; "no, Miss
Kate, it ain't navigation! I've bin pretty well grounded in that
subject for the last forty years. No, my study _now_ is theology."

"Theology!" exclaimed the sisters in surprise.

"Yes, theology. Is it so strange, then, that a man drawin' near the
close of life should wish to be more particular than when he was young
in tryin' to find out all he can about his Maker?" returned the captain
gravely.

"Forgive us," said Jessie, hastening to explain; "it is not that. If
you had said you had taken to reading the Bible carefully and
systematically, we would not have been surprised, but it--it was--your
talking so quietly about theology that made us--"

"Yes, yes, I see," interrupted the good-natured seaman; "well, it _is_
reading the Word of God that I mean. You see, I regard the Bible as my
class-book, my book o' logarithms, chart compass, rudder, etcetera, all
rolled into one. Now, I don't mind tellin' you a secret. When I first
went to sea I was a very wild harum-scarum young fellow, an' havin' some
sort of influence over my mates, I did 'em a deal of damage and led 'em
astray. Well, when the Lord in His great mercy saved my soul, I could
not forget this, and although I knew I was forgiven, my heart was
grieved to think of the mischief I had done. I felt as if I would give
anything in life to