ther. Ain't that so, Elsie?"

Miss Preston's foot tapped the sidewalk several times, but she answered,
though not effusively:

"Mr. Hazeltine is always welcome, of course." Then, she added, turning
away, "Really, Captain Jerry, I must hurry to school. I have a great
deal of work to do before nine o'clock. Good-morning, Mr. Hazeltine."

The Captain paused long enough to say, "We'll expect you now, so come,"
and then hurried after her. He was feeling very well satisfied with
himself.

"By mighty! Elsie," he chuckled, "I got out of that nice, didn't I?"

He received no answer, even when he repeated the remark, and, although
he endeavored, as he swept out the schoolroom, to engage the teacher in
conversation, her replies were as cold as they were short. The Captain
went home in the last stages of dismalness.

That afternoon, when Captain Eri returned from the fishing grounds,
he found Captain Jerry waiting for him at the shanty. The humiliated
matchmaker sent Josiah up to the grocery store on an errand, and then
dragged his friend inside and shut the door.

Captain Eri looked at the woe-begone face with some concern.

"What ails you, Jerry?" he demanded. "Have you--have you spoken to Mrs.
Snow 'bout that--that marriage?"

"No, I ain't, Eri, but I'm in a turrible mess, and I don't know why,
neither. Seems to me the more I try to do for other folks the wuss off I
am; and, instead of gittin' thanks, all I git is blame."

"Why, what's the matter?"

"Well, now I know you'll think I'm a fool, and 'll jest pester the life
out of me. See here, Eri Hedge! If I tell you what I want to, will you
promise not to pitch into me, and not to nag and poke fun? If you don't
promise I won't tell one single word, no matter what happens."

So Captain Eri promised, and then Captain Jerry, stammering and
hesitating, unburdened his mind of the whole affair, telling of his
first reproof by Elsie, his "explanation" to Ralph, and the subsequent
developments. Long before he finished, Captain Eri rose and, walking
over to the door, stood looking out through the dim pane at the top,
while his shoulders shook as if there was a smothered earthquake inside.

"There!" exclaimed the injured matrimonial agent, in conclusion.
"There's the whole fool thing, and I 'most wish I'd never seen either of
'em. I thought I did fust-rate this mornin' when I was tryin' to think
up somethin' to show why I hailed Hazeltine, but no, Elsie won't hardly
speak to