Welcome he will be, truly."

Little John started, and a guilty flush swept over his clear face.

"I forgot!" he cried. "I forgot all about everything, and Cousin
Scraper will be home by this time, and--and--I'll have to be going,
please; but I'll come again, if you think I may."

The Skipper had raised his eyebrows at the name of Scraper, and was now
looking curiously at the boy. "Who is that you say?" he asked. "Scraper,
your cousin? And of your father, young gentleman,--why do you not speak
of him?"

"My father is dead," replied little John. "And my mother too, a good
while ago. I don't remember father. Mother----" he broke off, and
dropped his eyes to hide the tears that sprang to them. "Mother died a
year ago," he said; "ever since then I've lived with Cousin Scraper.
He's some sort of kin to father, and he says he's my guardian by law."

"His other name?" suggested the dark man, quietly. "For example,
Endymion?"

"Why, yes!" cried John, raising his honest blue eyes in wonder. "Do you
know him, sir? Have you ever been here before?"

The Skipper shook his head. "Not of my life!" he said. "Yet--I make a
guess at the name; perhaps of this gentleman I have heard. He--he is a
kind person, Colorado?"

John hung his head. He knew that he must not speak evil; his mother had