trip, but he thought "more 'n likely" he should go.

Captain Eri was obliged to be content with this assurance, but he
determined to keep a close watch on his friend just the same.

He had met Ralph Hazeltine once or twice since the latter's arrival in
Orham, and, in response to questions as to how he was getting on at the
station, the new electrician invariably responded, "First-rate." Gossip,
however, in the person of Miss Busteed, reported that the operators were
doing their best to keep Mr. Hazeltine's lot from being altogether a bed
of roses, and there were dark hints of something more to come.

On the morning following the receipt of the letter from the Nantucket
lady, Captain Eri was busy at his fish shanty, putting his lines in
order and sewing a patch on the mainsail of his catboat. These necessary
repairs had prevented his taking the usual trip to the fishing grounds.
Looking up from his work, he saw, through the open door, Ralph Hazeltine
just stepping out of the cable-station skiff. He tucked his sail needle
into the canvas and hailed the young man with a shouted "Good-morning!"

"How do you do, Cap'n Hedge?" said Hazeltine, walking toward the shanty.
"Good weather, isn't it?"

"Tip-top. Long 's the wind stays westerly and there ain't no
Sunday-school picnics on, we don't squabble with the weather folks.
The only thing that 'll fetch a squall with a westerly wind is a
Sunday-school picnic. That 'll do it, sure as death. Busy over across?"

"Pretty busy just now. The cable parted day before yesterday, and I've
been getting things ready for the repair ship. She was due this morning,