"I never see such a young-one," he told his employers. "I don't ask her
to do dishes nor fill pitchers nor nothin'; she just does it on her own
hook."

"Humph!" grunted Captain Shadrach. "So I judged from what I see. Does it
pretty well, too, don't she?"

"Um-hm. Well enough, I guess. Yes," with a burst of candor, "for her
age, she does it mighty well."

"Then what are you kickin' about?"

"I ain't kickin'. Who said I was kickin'? Only--well, all I say is let
her do dishes and such, if she wants to, only--only--"

"Only what?"

"Only I ain't goin' to have her heavin' out hints about what I ought
to do. There's two skippers aboard this craft now and that's enough.
By time!" with another burst, "that kid's a reg'lar born mother. She
mothers that cat and them dolls and the hens already, and I swan to
man I believe she'd like to adopt me. I ain't goin' to be mothered and
hinted at to do this and that and put to bed and tucked in by no kid.
I'll heave up my job first."

He had been on the point of heaving up his job ever since the days when
he sailed as cook aboard Captain Shadrach's schooner. When the Captain
retired from the sea for the last time, and became partner and fellow
shopkeeper with Zoeth, Isaiah had retired with him and was engaged to
keep house for the two men. The Captain had balked at the idea of a