"A little," said Kate, "but we had nearly given it up. We are getting to
be very weather-wise, and we pride ourselves on being quick at seeing
fogs." At which the cap'n smiled and said we were consider'ble young to
know much about weather, but it looked well that we took some interest
in it; most young people were fools about weather, and would just as
soon set off to go anywhere right under the edge of a thunder-shower.
"Come in and set down, won't ye?" he added; "it ain't much of a place;
I've got a lot of old stuff stowed away here that the women-folks don't
want up to the house. I'm a great hand for keeping things." And he
looked round fondly at the contents of the wide low room. "I come down
here once in a while and let in the sun, and sometimes I want to hunt up
something or 'nother; kind of stow-away place, ye see." And then he
laughed apologetically, rubbing his hands together, and looking out to
sea again as if he wished to appear unconcerned; yet we saw that he
wondered if we thought it ridiculous for a man of his age to have
treasured up so much trumpery in that cobwebby place. There were some
whole oars and the sail of his boat and two or three killicks and
painters, not to forget a heap of worn-out oars and sails in one corner
and a sailor's hammock slung across the beam overhead, and there were
some sailor's chests and the capstan of a ship and innumerable boxes
which all seemed to be stuffed full, besides no end of things lying on
the floor and packed away on shelves and hanging to rusty big-headed
nails in the wall. I saw some great lumps of coral, and large, rough
shells, a great hornet's nest, and a monstrous lobster-shell. The cap'n
had cobbled and tied up some remarkable old chairs for the accommodation
of himself and his friends.

"What a nice place!" said Kate in a frank, delighted way which could not
have failed to be gratifying.