t'll shut out the tonguey kind," he explained. The advertisement,
with this addition, being duly approved, the required fifty cents was
inclosed, as was a letter to the editor of the matrimonial journal
requesting all answers to be forwarded to Captain Jeremiah Burgess,
Orham, Mass. Then the envelope was directed and the stamp affixed.

"There," said Captain Eri, "that's done. All you've got to do now,
Jerry, is to pick out your wife and let us know what you want for a
weddin' present. You're a lucky man."

"Aw, let's talk about somethin' else," said the lucky one rather
gloomily. "What's the news up at the depot, Eri?"

They received the tidings of the coming of Hazeltine with the interest
due to such an event. Captain Eri gave them a detailed account of his
meeting with the new electrician, omitting, however, in consideration
for the feelings of Captain Perez, to mention the fact that it was
the Bartlett boy who started that gentleman upon his walk to the cable
station.

"Well, what did you think of him?" asked Captain Perez, when the recital
was finished.

"Seemed to me like a pretty good feller," answered Captain Eri
deliberately. "He didn't git mad at the joke the gang played on him, for
one thing. He ain't so smooth-tongued as Parker used to be and he didn't
treat Baxter and me as if Cape Codders was a kind of animals, the way
some of the summer folks do. He had the sense not to offer to pay me for
takin' him over to the station, and I liked that. Take it altogether,
he seemed like a pretty decent chap--for a New Yorker," he added, as an
after thought.

"But say," he said a moment later, "I've got some more news and it ain't
good news, either. Web Saunders has got his liquor license."

"I want to know!" exclaimed Captain Perez.

"You don't tell me!" said Captain Jerry.

Then they both said, "What will John Baxter do now?" And Captain Eri
shook his head dubiously.

The cod bit well next morning and Captain Eri did not get in from the
Windward Ledge until afternoon. By the way, it may be well to explain
that Captain Jerry's remarks concerning "settlin' down" and "restin',"
which we chronicled in the first chapter must not be accepted too
literally. While it is true that each of the trio had given up long
voyages, it is equally true that none had given up work entirely. Some
people might not consider it restful to rise at four every weekday
morning and sail in a catboat twelve miles out to sea and haul a