"What's that?" demanded Betty Gallup, her speech crackling like a rifle
shot.

"I had not heard before of Cap'n Amazon," the girl explained. "You
see, for several reasons, I have known very little about my mother's
kinfolk. She died when I was a baby. We have traveled a good deal,
father and I."

"I see. I been told you worked for them movin' pictures. Mandy Card
was over to my house last night. Well! what do you think of your
Uncle Am'zon?"

"I can express no opinion until I have met him," Louise returned, again
dimpling.

"Haven't ye seen him?" gasped Betty in astonishment.

"Not yet."

"Ye didn't see him when he came last night?"

"I was in bed."

"Then how--how d'ye know Cap'n Abe's gone? Or that this man is Am'zon
Silt? Nobody ever seen this critter 'round Cardhaven before," Betty
Gallup declared with strong conviction.

"Oh, no; Uncle Amazon has never been here to visit Cap'n Abe before.
Cap'n Abe told me all about it," the girl explained, fearing that