and by to let go anchor!"

CHAPTER XV

IN JOHN BAXTER'S ROOM

If Josiah expected any relaxation in Captain Eri's stern discipline he
was disappointed, for he was held to the strict letter of the "shipping
articles." The Captain even went to the length of transferring Perez
to the parlor cot and of compelling the boy to share his own room. This
was, of course, a precaution against further attempts at running away.
Morning after morning the pair rose before daylight and started for the
fishing grounds. There were two or three outbreaks on the part of the
"able seaman," but they ended in but one way, complete submission. After
a while Josiah, being by no means dull, came to realize that when he
behaved like a man he was treated like one. He learned to steer the Mary
Ellen, and to handle her in all weathers. Also, his respect for Captain
Eri developed into a liking.

Captain Perez was gratified and delighted at the change in his
grandnephew's behavior and manners, and was not a little curious to
learn the methods by which the result had been brought about. His hints
being fruitless, he finally asked his friend point-blank. Captain Eri's
answer was something like this:

"Perez," he said, "do you remember old man Sanborn, that kept school
here when you and me was boys? Well, when the old man run foul of a
youngster that was sassy and uppish he knocked the sass out of him fust,
and then talked to him like a Dutch uncle. He used to call that kind of
treatment 'moral suasion.' That's what I'm doin' to Josiah; I'm 'moral
suasionin' him."

Captain Perez was a little anxious concerning the first part of this
course of training, but its results were so satisfactory that he
asked no more questions. The fact is, Captain Perez' mind was too much
occupied with another subject just at this time to allow him to be
over-anxious. The other subject was Miss Patience Davis.

Miss Davis, her visit with her brother being over, was acting as
companion to an old lady who lived in a little house up the shore, a
mile or so above the station. This elderly female, whose name was Mayo,
had a son who kept a grocery store in the village and was, therefore,
obliged to be away all day and until late in the evening. Miss Patience
found Mrs. Mayo's crotchets a bit trying, but the work was easy and
to her liking, and she was, as she said, "right across the way, as you
might say, from Luther." The "way" referred to was the stretch of water
betw