ho, however, called the Captain to one side,
and whispered eagerly to him for a moment or two. The word "Seth" was
mentioned at least once.

"Why, Captain Eri!" exclaimed Elsie, as they drove away.

The Captain grinned. "Didn't know I was such a heeler, did you?" he
said. "Well, I tell you. If you're fishin' for eels there ain't no use
usin' a mack'rel jig. Sol, he's a little mite eely, and you've got to
use the kind of bait that 'll fetch that sort of critter."

"But I shouldn't think he would care whether he was on the
school-committee or not. It isn't such an exalted position."

Captain Eri's answer was in the form of a parable. "Old Laban Simpkins
that lived 'round here one time," he said, "was a mighty hard ticket.
Drank rum by the hogshead, pounded his wife till she left him, and was
a tough nut gin'rally. Well, one evenin' Labe was comin' home pretty
how-come-you-so, and he fell into Jonadab Wixon's well. Wonder he wa'n't
killed, but he wa'n't, and they fished him out in a little while. He
said that was the deepest well he ever saw; said he begun to think it
reached clear through to the hereafter, and when he struck the water he
was s'prised to find it wa'n't hot. He j'ined the church the next
week, and somebody asked him if he thought religion would keep him from
fallin' into any more wells. He said no; said he was lookin' out for
somethin' further on.

"Well, that's the way 'tis with Sol. School-committee's all right, but
this section of the Cape nominates a State representative next year.

"I mustn't forgit to see Seth," he added. "I promised I would, and
besides," with a wink, "I think 'twould be better to do it 'cause,
between you and me, I don't b'lieve Seth knows that he's been thinkin'
of runnin' for the committee and has decided not to."

The second member of the school board, John Mullett, was, so the Captain
said, a sort of "me too" to Mr. Bangs, and would vote as his friend
directed. The third member was Mr. Langworthy, the Baptist minister
and, although two to one was a clear majority, Captain Eri asserted that
there was nothing like a unanimous vote, and so they decided to call
upon the reverend gentleman.

They found him at home, and Elsie was surprised, after the previous
interview, to see how differently her champion handled the case. There
was no preliminary parley and no beating about the bush. Miss Preston's
claim to the soon-to-be-vacant position was stated clearly and with
vigor. Al