were all sorts of things to be considered, he said, and they had better
take a nap now while they could.

"Well, I'd jest like to ask you this, Eri Hedge," demanded Captain
Jerry. "What in time did you tell the Doctor that she was a relation of
mine for? That was a nice thing to do, wa'n't it? I'll have to answer
more fool questions 'bout that than a little. What sort of a relation
shall I tell folks she is? Jest tell me that, will you?"

"Oh, tell 'em she's a relation by marriage," was the answer, muffled by
the bed clothes. "Maybe that 'll be true by the time they ask you."

"I'll BET it won't!" snorted the rebel.

Captain Perez fell asleep almost immediately. Captain Jerry, tired out,
did the same, but Captain Eri's eyes did not close. The surf pounded
and grumbled. A rooster, early astir, crowed somewhere in the distance.
Daniel thumped the side of his stall and then subsided for another nap.
The gray morning light brightened the window of the little house.

Then Captain Eri slid silently out of bed, dressed with elaborate
precautions against noise, put on his cap, and tiptoed out of the house.
He walked through the dripping grass, climbed the back fence and
hurried to the hill where John Baxter had fallen. Once there, he looked
carefully around to be sure that no one was watching. Orham, as a rule,
is an early riser, but this morning most of the inhabitants, having been
up for the greater part of the night, were making up lost sleep and the
Captain was absolutely alone.

Assured of this, he turned to the bush underneath which he had hidden