you might say, for forty odd years. I ain't a religious man 'cordin' to
your way of thinkin', but I've generally found that the Lord runs things
most as well as us folks could run 'em. When there's a leak at one end
of the schooner it don't pay to bore a hole at the other end to let the
water out. Don't you worry no more about Web Saunders and that billiard
saloon. The s'lectmen 'll attend to them afore very long. Why don't you
go up to Boston for a couple of weeks? 'Twill do you good."

"Do you think so, Eri? Well, maybe 'twould--maybe 'twould. Sometimes I
feel as if my head was kind of wearin' out. I'll think about it."

"Better not think any more; better go right ahead."

"Well, I'll see. Good-night."

"Good-night, John."

"Perez," said Captain Eri, next day, "seems to me some kinds of religion
is like whisky, mighty bad for a weak head. I wish somebody 'd invent a
gold cure for Come-Outers."

CHAPTER IV

A PICTURE SENT AND A CABLE TESTED

Something over a fortnight went by and the three captains had received
no answers from the advertisement in the Nuptial Chime. The suspense
affected each of them in a different manner. Captain Jerry was nervous
and apprehensive. He said nothing, and asked no questions, but it was
noticeable that he was the first to greet the carrier of the "mail box"
when that individual came down the road, and, as the days passed and
nothing more important than the Cape Cod Item and a patent-medicine
circular came to hand, a look that a suspicious person might have deemed
expressive of hope began to appear in his face.

Captain Perez, on the contrary, grew more and more disgusted with the
delay. He spent a good deal of time wondering why there were no replies,
and he even went so far as to suggest writing to the editor of
the Chime. He was disposed to lay the blame upon Captain Eri's
advertisement, and hinted that the latter was not "catchy" enough.

Captain Eri, alone of the trio, got any amusement out of the situation.
He pretended to see in Captain Jerry an impatient bridegroom and
administered comfort in large doses by suggesting that, in all
probability, there had been so many replies that it had been found
necessary to charter a freight-car to bring them down.

"Cheer up, Jerry!" he said. "It's tough on you, I know, but think of all
them poor sufferin' females that's settin' up nights and worryin' for
fear they won't be picked out. Why, say, when you make your ch'ice
you