since she was born. The only scoffer
was the bored Josiah, who, being a sophisticated New Yorker, sat in the
best chair and gazed contemptuously upon the entire proceeding. He told
"Web" Saunders the next day that he never saw such a gang of "crazy
jays" in his life.

Even John Baxter was better that day. He seemed a trifle more rational,
and apparently understood when they told him that it was Thanksgiving.
There would have been no cloud anywhere had not Mrs. Snow, entering her
room after Elsie had gone to bed, found that young lady awake and crying
silently.

"And she wouldn't tell what the trouble was," said the housekeeper to
Captain Eri, the next day. "Said it was nothin'; she was kind of worried
'bout her grandpa. Now, you and me know it wa'n't THAT. I wish to
goodness we knew WHAT it was."

The Captain scratched his nose with a perplexed air. "There's one feller
I'd like to have a talk with jest 'bout now," he said; "that's the
one that invented that yarn 'bout a woman's not bein' able to keep a
secret."

CHAPTER XIII

CAPTAIN JERRY MAKES A MESS OF IT

It was during the week that followed the holiday so gloriously
celebrated that Captain Jerry made a mess of it, and all with the
best intentions in the world. Elsie had had a hard day at the school,
principally owing to the perversity of the irrepressible Josiah, whose
love for deviltry was getting the better of his respect for the new
teacher. The boy had discovered that Elsie never reported his bad
conduct to Captain Perez, and, therefore, that the situation was not
greatly different from what it had been during the reign of Miss Nixon.

On this particular day he had been a little worse than usual, and,
as uneasiness and mischief in a schoolroom are as catching as the
chickenpox, Elsie came home tired and nervous. Captain Eri and Mrs. Snow
were certain that this increasing nervousness on the part of their guest
was not due to school troubles alone, but, at any rate, nervous she was,
and particularly nervous, and, it must be confessed, somewhat inclined
to be irritable, during the supper and afterward, on this ill-starred
night.

The beginning of the trouble was when Ralph Hazeltine called. Mrs. Snow
was with her patient in the upper room, Captain Eri was out, and
Captain Perez and Captain Jerry were with Elsie in the dining room.
The electrician was made welcome by the trio--more especially by the
captains, for Miss Preston was in no mood to be o