dum-sight worse one."

"I cal'late that's so, Jerry," said Captain Eri. "Still, Perez ain't
altogether wrong. Guess you'd better keep the dishwashin' out of it.
I know dishwashin' would never git ME; I've got so I hate the sight of
soap and hot water as bad as if I was a Portugee. Pass me that pen."

Captain Perez gladly relinquished the writing materials, and Captain
Eri, after two or three trials, by which he added to the paper
decorations of the floor, produced the following:

"Wife Wanted--By an ex-seafaring man of steady habbits. Must be willing
to Work and Keep House shipshape and aboveboard. No sea-lawyers need
apply. Address--Skipper, care the Nuptial Chime, Boston, Mass."

The line relating to sea-lawyers was insisted upon by Captain Jerry.
"That'll shut out the tonguey kind," he explained. The advertisement,
with this addition, being duly approved, the required fifty cents was
inclosed, as was a letter to the editor of the matrimonial journal
requesting all answers to be forwarded to Captain Jeremiah Burgess,
Orham, Mass. Then the envelope was directed and the stamp affixed.

"There," said Captain Eri, "that's done. All you've got to do now,
Jerry, is to pick out your wife and let us know what you want for a
weddin' present. You're a lucky man."

"Aw, let's talk about somethin' else," said the lucky one rather
gloomily. "What's the news up at the depot, Eri?"

They received the tidings of the coming of Hazeltine with the interest