airs feeling a little conscience-stricken, and with an
uneasy idea that she had said more than she should have. Captain Perez
took up the newspaper and sat down to read. As for Captain Jerry, he sat
down, too, but merely to get his thoughts assorted into an arrangement
less like a spilled box of jackstraws. The Captain's wonderful scheme,
that he had boasted of and worked so hard for, had fallen to earth like
an exploded airship, and when it hit it hurt.

His first idea was to follow the usual procedure, and take the whole
matter to Captain Eri for settlement, but the more he considered this
plan the less he liked it. Captain Eri was an unmerciful tease, and he
would be sure to "rub it in," in a way the mere thought of which made
his friend squirm. There wasn't much use in confiding to Captain Perez,
either. He must keep the secret and pretend that everything was working
smoothly.

Then his thoughts turned to Hazeltine, and when he considered the wrong
he had done that young man, he squirmed again. There wasn't a doubt in
his mind that Ralph felt exactly as Elsie did about his interference.
Captain Jerry decided that he owed the electrician an apology, and
determined to offer it at the first opportunity.

And the opportunity came the very next morning, for Mrs. Snow wanted
some clams for dinner, and asked him to dig some for her. The best clams
in the vicinity were those in the flat across the bay near the cable
station, and the Captain took his bucket and hoe and rowed over there.
As he was digging, Ralph came strolling down to the shore.

Mr. Hazeltine's "Good-morning" was clear and hearty. Captain Jerry's
was hesitating and formal. The talk that followed was rather one-sided.
Finally, the Captain laid down his hoe, and came splashing over to where
his friend was standing.

"Mr. Hazeltine," he said confusedly, "I kind of feel as if I ought to
beg your pardon. I'm awful sorry I done what I did, but, as I said to
Elsie, I meant well, and I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

"Why, for leavin' you and her alone so when you come to the house. You
see, I never thought but what you'd both like it, and 'twa'n't till she
raked me over the coals so for doin' it that I realized how things was."

"Raked you over the coals? I'm afraid I don't understand."

It is unnecessary to repeat the whole of the long and tangled
conversation that ensued. The Captain tried to explain, tumbled down,
metaphorically speaking, got up a