have gone over the fence instead of through the gate--he was helpin' our dear cousin and gettin' paid for it, and HE stole 'em. There! that's the truth and.... My soul! I believe I've scared the girl to death."
He sprang forward. Serena, too, although she was almost as much surprised and agitated as her daughter, hastened to the latter's side.
But Gertrude, although white and shaken, was far from being "scared to death." She was very much alive.
"Are you sure, Daddy?" she cried. "Are you SURE? How do you know?"
"I know because Labe wrote that Hapgood told him. That's how I know about the telegram. And I know that's what happened to your letter because John didn't get it."
"How do you know he didn't get it? Please, Mother, don't worry about me. I am all right. How do you know John didn't get my letter, Father?"
"I know because.... Is that a wagon stoppin' at our gate, Serena?"
"Never mind if it is. Answer Gertie's question. HOW do you know?"
Steps sounded on the front porch. Captain Dan strode to the hall and stood with one hand on the knob of the front door.
"I know," he declared triumphantly, "because I telephoned John this very day and he told me so. And now, by the everlastin', he'll tell you so himself!"
He flung the door wide.
"Come in, John!" he shouted, in a roar which was heard even by deaf old Ebenezer Simpkins, driver of the depot wagon, who was just piloting his ancient steed from the Dott gate. "Come in, John!" roared Captain Dan. "There she is, in there, waitin' for you."
And Mr. Doane came, you may be sure.
Serena and Daniel waited in the dining-room. They were obliged to wait for some time. The captain's triumphant exuberance continued to bubble over. He chuckled and laughed and crowed vaingloriously over his success in keeping the secret ever since noon.
"I was bound I wouldn't tell, Serena," he declared. "I was bound I wouldn't. I told John over the 'phone; I said: 'I won't tell a soul you're comin', John. We'll give 'em one surprise, won't we.' And, ho! ho! he didn't believe I could keep it to myself; he said he didn't. But I did, I did--though I felt all afternoon as if I had a bombshell under my jacket."
Serena laughed; she was as pleased as he. "You certainly exploded it like a bombshell," she declared. "I didn't know at first but that you really had gone crazy. And poor Gertie! you didn't prepare her at all. You blurted it out all at once. The words fairly tumbled over each other. I wonder she didn't faint."
"She isn't the faintin' kind. Serena, we never can be grateful enough to Gertie for what she's done for us. And she sacrificed her own happiness--or thought she did--for you and me and didn't whimper or complain once."
"I know, Daniel, I know. And pretty soon now we must give her up to someone else. That's the way of the world, though. WE'LL have to be brave then, won't we."
"So we will. But I'd rather give her to John than any other man on earth. The thought that it was all off between them and that she was grievin' over it was about the hardest thing of all."
"So it was. Well, now we can be completely happy, every one of us."
Azuba flounced in from the kitchen. "Ain't they come out of that parlor YET?" she demanded. "I can't keep roast chicken waitin' forever, even for engaged folks."
But the "engaged folks" themselves appeared at that moment. As one of those who, according to Mrs. Dott, were to be completely happy, Mr. Doane looked his part. Gertrude, too, although her eyes were wet, was smiling.
John and the Dotts shook hands. Daniel turned to his daughter.
"Well, Gertie," he asked, "are you ready to forgive me for what happened on account of my sendin' that summons to John--that one up in Scarford, I mean?"
"I think so, Daddy."
"I thought maybe you would be, considerin'," with a wink at Mr. Doane, "the answer you got to my telephone to-day. But, see here, young lady, I want to ask you somethin' and I expect a straight answer. Can I keep a secret, or can't I?"
"You can, Daddy, dear. You kept this one almost seven hours."
"Eight! eight, by Godfreys! 'Twas a strain, but I kept it."
"You managed it all beautifully, Daniel," declared Serena. "I am proud of you."
"We're all proud of you, Captain Dan," said John.
The captain smiled happily.
"Much obliged," he said, "but I ain't the one you ought to be proud of. When it comes to real managin' I ain't knee-high to the ship's cat alongside of Gertie there. She's the one who pulled this family through. No sir-ee! if you've got any time to spare bein' proud of folks, don't be proud of Cap'n Dan, but of Cap'n Dan's daughter. Sit down, all hands. Here comes dinner--at last."
THE END
CAP'N ERI
By Joseph Crosby Lincoln
CONTENTS
I. A LAMB FOR THE SACRIFICE
II. THE TRAIN COMES IN
III. THE "COME-OUTERS'" MEETING
IV. A PICTURE SENT AND A CABLE TESTED
V. THE WOMAN FROM NANTUCKET
VI. THE SCHOOLHOUSE BELL RINGS
VII. CAPTAIN ERI FINDS A NURSE
VIII. HOUSEKEEPER AND BOOK AGENT
IX. ELSIE PRESTON
X. MATCHMAKING AND LIFE-SAVING
XI. HEROES AND A MYSTERY
XII. A LITTLE POLITICS
XIII. CAPTAIN JERRY MAKES A MESS OF IT
XIV. THE VOYAGE OF AN "ABLE SEAMAN"
XV. IN JOHN BAXTER'S ROOM
XVI. A BUSINESS CALL
XVII. THROUGH FIRE AND WATER
XVIII. THE SINS OF CAPTAIN JERRY
XIX. A "NO'THEASTER" BLOWS
XX. ERI GOES BACK ON A FRIEND
XXI. "DIME-SHOW BUS'NESS"
CAP'N ERI
CHAPTER I
A LAMB FOR THE SACRIFICE
"Perez," observed Captain Eri cheerfully, "I'm tryin' to average up with the mistakes of Providence."
The Captain was seated by the open door of the dining room, in the rocker with the patched cane seat. He was apparently very busy doing something with a piece of fishline and a pair of long-legged rubber boots. Captain Perez, swinging back and forth in the parlor rocker with the patch-work cushion, was puffing deliberately at a wooden pipe, the bowl of which was carved into the likeness of a very rakish damsel with a sailor's cap set upon the side of her once flaxen head. In response to his companion's remark he lazily turned his sunburned face toward the cane-seated rocker and inquired:
"What on airth are you doin' with them boots?"
Captain Eri tied a knot with his fingers and teeth and then held the boots out at arm's length.
"Why, Perez," he said, "I'm averagin' up, same as I told you. Providence made me a two-legged critter, and a two-legged critter needs two boots. I've always been able to find one of these boots right off whenever I wanted