s a little money left. Thanks to Judge
Knowles, I have some of my own. She and I can live on the interest for a
time, or until I can find a way to earn more."

"But--but--George?"

"I think George is going away, too. He spoke of Boston. But there is
another thing I meant to say to you. I hate to leave you with the entire
care of the Fair Harbor on your hands. I shall try and help you to find
another matron before we go."

Sears rose from his chair. "That's all right," he said, "that part of
it. We'll try and find another outside manager at the same time. You
see, you and your mother aren't the only ones who are quittin' Bayport.
I'm goin', too."

She turned to look at him. "_You_ are going?" she repeated, slowly.
"Where?"

"I don't know exactly. To sea, I hope. I'm well again, or next door to
it. I mean to command another ship, if such a thing's possible."

"But you are leaving the Fair Harbor. Why?"

He turned on her almost fiercely. "Why?" he cried. "Don't you know why?
Because I'm a man--or I was one--and I want to be a man again. On shore,
I'm--well, I'm a good deal of a failure, I guess; but on salt water I
count for somethin'. I'm goin' to sea where I belong."

He strode to the window and stood there, looking out. He heard her rise,
heard her step beside him. Then he felt her hand upon his.

"I'm glad for you," she said, simply. "Very, very glad. I wish I were a
man and could go, too."

He did not look at her, he did not dare.

"It's a rough life," he said, "but I like it."

"I know.... So you will soon be really seeing again those things you
told me about, the foreign cities and the people and those islands--and
all the wonderful, wonderful places. And you won't have to fret about
the grocery bills, or the mean little Fair Harbor gossip, or anything of
the kind. You can just sail away and forget it all."

"I shan't forget it all. There's a lot I never want to forget."

There was an interval of silence here, an interval that, to the captain,
seemed to last for ages. It must be broken, it must be or....

"I shall think of you and George often enough," he announced, briskly.
"Yes, indeed. And--and if it isn't too soon--that is, if you don't mind
my bein' the first one--I'd like to congratulate you and wish you a
smooth passage and a long one."

She did not answer and he mustered courage to turn and look at her. She
was looking at him and her expression was odd.

"A smooth passage?" she repeated.