had no hard
feelin's against him. How's he gittin' along?"

Captain Eri brusquely replied that his friend was "'bout the same," and
asked if Mr. Saunders intended to rebuild. "Web" didn't know just yet.
He was a poor man, didn't carry much insurance, and so on. Thought
likely he should fix up again if it didn't cost too much. Did the Doctor
say whether Captain Baxter would pull through or not?

Captain Eri gave an evasive answer and turned away. He was silent for
some little time, and when Ralph commented on "Web's" overnight change
of manner, his rejoinder was to the effect that "ile was bound to rise,
but that didn't mean there wa'n't dirty water underneath." On the way
home he asked Hazeltine concerning the trouble at the cable station, and
how Mr. Langley had treated the matter.

Ralph replied that Mr. Langley had said nothing to him about it. It was
his opinion that the old gentleman understood the affair pretty well,
and was not disposed to blame him. As for the men, they had been as
docile as lambs, and he thought the feeling toward himself was not as
bitter as it had been. All of which his companion said he was glad to
hear.

They separated at the gate, and the Captain entered the house to find
Mrs. Snow wielding a broom and surrounded by a cloud of dust. Perez
was upstairs with the patient, and Captain Jerry, whose habits had been
considerably upset by the sweeping, was out in the barn.

That evening the situation was explained to Mrs. Snow by Captain Eri, in
accordance with the talk at the breakfast table. The lady from Nantucket
understood and respected Captain Jerry's unwillingness to discuss the
marriage question while John Baxter's condition continued critical, and
she agreed to act as nurse and housekeeper for a while, at least,
for the sum of six dollars a week. This price was fixed only after
considerable discussion by the three mariners, for Captain Eri was
inclined to offer eight, and Captain Jerry but four.

When Ralph Hazeltine called late in the afternoon of the following day,
the dining room was so transformed that he scarcely knew it. The dust
had disappeared; the chronometer was polished till it shone; the table
was covered with a cloth that was snow-white, and everything movable had
the appearance of being in its place. Altogether, there was an evidence
of order that was almost startling.

Captain Eri came to the door in response to his knock, and grinned
appreciatively at his caller's