f
him?"

Judah snorted. "She?" he repeated. "She thinks he's the Angel Gabriel
dressed up."

He would have liked to discuss the new arrival the remainder of the
afternoon, but the captain was not in the mood to listen. Neither was he
more receptive or discussive at supper time. Judah wanted to talk of
nothing else and to speculate concerning the amount of wealth which Mr.
Phillips might have inherited, upon the probable date of the reading of
Lobelia's will, upon whether or not the fortunate legatee might take up
his residence in Bayport.

"Say Cap'n" he observed, turning an inflamed countenance from the steam
of dishwashing, "don't you cal'late maybe he may be wantin' to--er--sort
of change things aboard the Fair Harbor? He'll be Admiral, as you might
say, now, won't he?"

"Will he?"

"Well--won't he?"

"Don't know, Judah. I haven't thrown up my commission yet, you know."

"No, course you ain't, course you ain't. I don't mean he'd think of
disrating you, Cap'n Sears. Nobody'd be fool-head enough for that....
But, honest, I would like to look at him and hear him talk. Caroline
Snow, she says he's the finest, highest-toned man ever _she_ see."

"Yes? Well, that's sayin' somethin'."

"Yus, but 'tain't sayin' too much. She lives down to Woodchuck Neck and
the highest thing down there is a barrel of cod-livers. They're good and
high when the sun gets to 'em."

When the dishes were done he announced that he guessed likely he might
as well go down to Eliphalet's and listen to the cackling. The captain
did not object, and so he put on his cap and departed. But he was back
again in less than a minute.

"He's comin', Cap'n," he cried, excitedly. "Creepin' Moses! He's comin'
here."

Sears remained calm. "He is, eh?" he observed. "Well, is he creepin'
now?"

"Hey? Creepin'? What are you talkin' about?"

"Why, Moses. You said he was comin', didn't you?"

"I said that Egbert man was comin'. He was just onlatchin' the gate when
I see him.... Hey? That's him knockin' now. Shall I--shall I let him in,
Cap'n Sears?"

"I would if I were you, Judah. If you don't I shall have to."

So Judah did. Mr. Phillips entered the kitchen, removing his silk hat at
the threshold. Mr. Cahoon followed, too overcome with excitement and
curiosity to remember to take off his own cap. Sears Kendrick would have
risen from the armchair in which he was seated, but the visitor extended
a gloved hand.

"Don't. Don't rise, I beg of you,"