cluding a piano?" asked Ruth, curiously.

"Great cats! that's what we had our last spat about," groaned Bill
Hicks. "Jib, he's had advantages, he has. Went to this here Carlisle
Injun school ye hear so much talk about. It purty nigh ruined him,
but he _can_ break hosses. And thar he l'arned to play one o' them
pianners. We was all in to Bullhide one time--we'd been shipping
steers--and we piled into the Songbird Dancehall--had the place all to
ourselves, for it was daytime--and Jib sot down and fingered them
keys somethin' scand'lous. Bashful Ike--he's my foreman--says he
never believed before that a sure 'nough man like Jibbeway Pottoway
could ever be so ladylike!

"Wal! My Jane Ann was jest enchanted by that thar pianner--yes, Miss!
She was jest enchanted. And she didn't give me no peace from then on.
Said she wanted one o' the critters at the ranch so Jib could give her
lessons. And I jest thought it was foolishness--and it cost money--oh,
well! I see now I was a pretty mean old hunks----"

"That's what I heard her call you once," chuckled Ruth. "At least, I
know now that she was speaking of you, sir."

"She hit me off right," sighed Mr. Hicks. "I hadn't never been used
to spending money. But, laws, child! I got enough. I been some waked up
since I come East. Folks spend money here, that's a fact."

They found Mother Purling's door opened at the foot of the lighthouse
shaft, and the flutter of an apron on the balcony told them that the old
lady had climbed to the lantern.

"She doesn't often do that," said Heavy. "Crab does all the cleaning
and polishing up there."

"He's left her without any help, then," Ruth suggested. "That's what
it means."

And truly, that is what it did mean, as they found out when Ruth, the
Cameron twins, and the Westerner climbed the spiral staircase to the
gallery outside the lantern.

"Yes; that Crab ain't been here this morning," Mother Purling admitted
when Ruth explained that there was reason for Mr. Hicks wishing to see
him. "He told me he was mebbe going off for a few days. 'Then you
send me a substitute, Jack Crab,' I told him; but he only laughed and
said he wasn't going to send a feller here to work into his job. He
_is_ handy, I allow. But I'm too old to be left all stark alone at this
light. I'm going to have another man when Jack's month is out, just as
sure as eggs is eggs!"

Mr. Hicks was just as polite to the old lady as he had been to Miss Kate;
and he quickly ex