"Yes, I am told she is disabled by disease, and lives in the poorhouse.
But you need not be frightened, little girlie; she is not at all likely
to come to 'Sconset, and if she does we will take good care that she is
not allowed to harm you."

"And I don't suppose she'd want to either, unless we had done something
to make her angry," said Lulu.

"But we are going to Nantucket Town to stay a while when we leave
'Sconset," remarked Grace uneasily.

"But that woman will not come near you, daughter; you need, not have the
least fear of it," the captain said, drawing his little girl to his knee
with a tender caress.

"Ah," said Mr. Dinsmore, "I heard the other day of a curiosity at
Nantucket which we must try to see while there. I think the story
connected with it will particularly interest you ladies and the little
girls."

"Oh, grandpa, tell it!" cried Rosie; "please do; a story is just what we
want this dull day."

The others joined in the request, and Mr. Dinsmore kindly complied, all
gathering closely about him, anxious to catch every word.

"The story is this: Nearly a hundred years ago there lived in Nantucket
a sea-captain named Coffin, who had a little daughter of whom he was
very fond."