"Yes, yes, I know," he said hastily. "Don't you worry now. He's better;
the Doctor said he was consid'rably better to-day; didn't he, Mr.
Hazeltine? Why, what am I thinkin' of? Let me make you known to Mr.
Hazeltine; next-door neighbor of ours; right acrost the road," and he
waved toward the bay.

Ralph and Miss Preston shook hands. The electrician managed to utter
some sort of formality, but he couldn't have told what it was. He was
glad when the Captain announced that, if Mr. Hazeltine would excuse
them, he guessed Miss Preston and he would step upstairs and see John.
The young lady took off her hat and jacket, and Captain Eri lighted a
lamp, for it was almost dark by this time. As its light shone upon
the visitor's face and hair the crimson flush before mentioned
circumnavigated the electrician's head once more, and his bump of
self-esteem received a finishing blow. That any man supposed to possess
two fairly good eyes and a workable brain could have mistaken her for an
Orham Neck book agent by the name of "'Gusty--'Gusty Black!" Heavens!

"I'll be down in a few minutes, Mr. Hazeltine," said the Captain. "Set
still, won't you?"

But Mr. Hazeltine wouldn't sit still. He announced that it was late and
he must be going. And go he did, in spite of his host's protestations.

"Look out for the stairs," cautioned the Captain, leading the way with
the lamp. "The feller that built 'em must have b'lieved that savin'
distance lengthens out life. Come to think of it, I wouldn't wonder if
them stairs was the reason why me and Jerry and Perez took this house.
They reminded us so of the shrouds on a three-master."