"Name's Brown. He come from--from off here a ways," was the strictly
truthful answer. "He used to be on a steamboat."

"All right. If you'll take a share of the responsibility, I'll take the
rest. And, as soon as I can, I'll send you a regular man."

"I can't pay you no steady wages," Seth explained to his new helper.
"Salaries come from the gov'ment, and, until they say so, I ain't got
no right to do it. And I can't let you monkey with the lights, except
to clean up around and such. If you want to stay a spell, until an
assistant's app'inted, I'll undertake to be responsible for your keep.
And if you need some new shoes or stockin's or a cap, or the like of
that, I'll see you get 'em. Further'n that I can't go yet. It's a pretty
poor job for a fellow like you, and if I was you I wouldn't take it."

"Oh, yes, you would," replied Brown, with conviction. "If you were I,
you would take it with bells on. Others may yearn for the strenuous
life, but not your humble servant. As for me, I stay here and 'clean up
around.'"

And stay he did, performing the cleaning up and other duties with
unexpected success and zeal. Atkins, for the first day or two, watched
him intently, being still a trifle suspicious and fearful of his
"substitute assistant." But as time passed and the latter asked no more
questions, seemed not in the least curious concerning his superior, and
remained the same cool, easy-going, cheerful individual whom Seth had
found asleep on the beach, the lightkeeper's suspicions were ended. It
was true that Brown was as mysterious and secretive as ever concerning
his own past, but that had been a part of their bargain. Atkins, who
prided himself on being a judge of human nature, decided that his helper