or others were
finished, over and done with. Now he would fight for himself.

His breakfast appetite was poor. Judah, aghast at the sight of his
untouched plate, demanded to know if he was sick. The answer to the
question was illuminating.

"No," snapped the captain, "I'm not sick.... Yes, I am, too. I'm sick to
death of this town and this place and this landlubber's job. Judah, are
you goin' to spend the rest of your days playin' hired boy for Ogden
Minot? Or are you comin' to sea again with me? Because to sea is where
I'm goin'--and mighty quick."

Judah's mouth opened. "Hoppin' Henry!" he gasped. "Why, Cap'n Sears----"

"You don't _like_ this job, do you? Hadn't you rather have your own
galley on board a decent ship? Are you a sea-man--or a washwoman? Don't
you want to ship with me again?"

"_Want_ to! Cap'n Sears, you know I'd rather go to sea along with you
than--than be King of Rooshy. But you ain't fit to go to sea yet."

"Shut up! Don't you dare say that again. And stand by to pack your sea
chest when I give the order.... No, I don't want to argue. I won't
argue. Clear out!"

Mr. Cahoon, bewildered but obedient, cleared out. Not long afterward he
drove away on the seat of the truck wagon to haul the Bangs wood, the
task postponed from the previous day. Kendrick, left alone, lit a pipe
and resumed his pacing up and down. Later on he took pen, ink and paper
and seated himself at the table to write some letters to shipping
merchants whose vessels he had commanded in the old days, the happy days
before he gave up seafaring to become a poor imitation of a business man
on shore.

He composed these letters with care. Two were completed and the third
was under way, when some one knocked at the other door. He laid down his
pen impatiently. He did not want to be interrupted. If the visitor was
Kent he did not feel like listening to more thanks. If it was Esther
Tidditt she could unload her cargo of gossip at some other port.

But the caller was neither George nor Esther. It was Elizabeth who
entered the kitchen in answer to his command to "Come in." He rose to
greet her. She looked pale--yes, and tired, but she smiled faintly as
she bade him good morning.

"Cap'n Kendrick," she said, "are you very busy? I suppose you are,
but--but if you are not too busy I should like to talk with you for a
few minutes. May I?"

He nodded. "Of course," he said. "My business can wait a little longer;
it has waited a good whil