t the ships
passing through the deep water close to the beach seemed as if they were
trying which of them could sail nearest to land without grounding.

"Splendid!" he repeated with immense satisfaction as he turned from the
view to the room itself; "now this is what I call fortunate. The very
thing--sofa for Miss Jessie--easy-chair for Miss Kate--rocking chair for
both of 'em. Nothin' quite suitable for me, (looking round), but that's
not difficult to remedy. Glass over the chimney to see their pretty
faces in, and what have we here--a press?"

"No, sir," said the little maid, pushing open the door, "a small room
off this one, sir."

"Glorious!" shouted the captain, entering and striking the top of the
door-way with his head in doing so. "Nothing could be better. This is
the theological library! Just the thing--good-sized window, same view,
small table, and--well, I declare! if there ain't _empty_ bookshelves!"

"Very sorry, sir," said the little maid, hastening to apologise; "we
have no books, but they'll be handy for any books you may bring to the
sea-side with you, sir, or for any little knick-knacks and odds and
ends."

"Yes, yes, my good girl. I'll fetch a few theological odds and ends
to-night that'll p'r'aps fill 'em up. By the way, you've a bedroom, I
hope?"

He looked anxious, and the maid, who seemed inclined to laugh, said that
of course they had, a nice airy bedroom on the same floor on the other
side of the passage--also commanding the sea.

The captain's face beamed again.

"And now, my girl--but, by the way, I shall want another bedroom. Have
you--"

"I'm sorry to say that we have not. The rest of the house is quite
full."

Captain Bream's face again became anxious. "That's bad," he said; "of
course I can get one out o' the house, but it would be inconvenient."

"There _is_ a hattic, sir," said the maid, "but it is 'igh up, and so
very small, that I fear--"

"Let me see the attic," said the captain, promptly.

The maid conducted him up another flight of steps to a room, or rather
closet, which did not appear to be more than five feet broad and barely
six feet long; including the storm-window, it might have been perhaps
seven feet long. It was situated in a sort of angle, so that from the
window you could have a view of a piece of slate roof, and two crooked
chimney pots with a slice of the sea between them. As there was much
traffic on the sea off that coast, the slice refer