Isaiah was surprised.

"What is?" he asked.

"Pneumonia. . . . No, I don't think that's right. It's pneumonia that
makes you sick. Somethin' else takes out the spots. I know now; it's
am-monia. It's very good for spots but you mustn't smell the bottle. I
smelled the bottle once and it went right up into my head."

"What on earth are you talkin' about? The bottle went up into your
head!"

"No, the ammonia smell did. It was awful; like--like--" she paused,
evidently in search of a simile; "like sneezin' backwards," she added.
"It was terrible."

Isaiah laughed. "I should think 'twould be," he declared. "Sneezin'
backwards! Ho, ho! That's a good one!"

Mary-'Gusta's eyes were still fixed upon the apron.

"Mr.--I mean Cap'n Gould said you was the cook and steward," she
observed. "I don't know as I know what a steward is, exactly. Is it the
one that stews things?"

"Ha, ha!" roared Isaiah. Mary-'Gusta's dignity was hurt. The color rose
in her cheeks.

"Was it funny?" she asked. "I didn't know. I know that a cook cooked
things, and a baker baked things, so I thought maybe a steward stewed