The captain interrupted her. Stepping forward he seized his niece's
hands in his. "Well, well!" he exclaimed admiringly. "'Bije's girl, that
I ain't seen since you was a little mite of a baby! Caroline, I'm your
Uncle Elisha."

"Good LORD!" groaned Stephen Warren.



CHAPTER IV


If the captain heard Stephen's fervent ejaculation, he paid no attention
to it. Dropping his niece's hand, he extended his own toward his nephew.

"And this is Stephen?" he said. "Well, Steve, you and me have never met
afore, I b'lieve. But that's our misfortune, not our fault, hey? How are
you? Pretty smart?"

The boy's face was flaming. He mumbled something to the effect that he
was all right enough, and turned away without accepting the proffered
hand. Captain Elisha glanced quickly at him, then at his sister.

"Well, Caroline," he said, pleasantly, "I s'pose you've been expectin'
me. Mr. Graves told you I was comin', didn't he?"

Miss Warren, also, was flushed with embarrassment and mortified
surprise.

"No," she stammered. "He has been ill."