me, are you? Ho! ho! So was the Commodore. He couldn't understand how
I got in without ringin'. Well, you see, I'm used to turnin' out pretty
early, and when it got to be most seven o'clock, I couldn't lay to bed
any longer, so I got up, dressed, and went for a walk. I fixed the door
latch so's I could come in quiet. You haven't waited breakfast for me, I
hope."

"No; it is ready now, however."

"Ready now," the captain looked at his watch. "Yes, I should think so.
It's way into the forenoon. You HAVE waited for me, haven't you? I'm
awfully sorry."

"No, we have not waited. Our breakfast hour is nine. Pardon me for
neglecting to tell you that last evening."

"Oh, that's all right. Now you trot right out and eat. I've had mine."

"Had your breakfast?"

"Yes, indeed. When I'm home, Abbie and I usually eat about seven, so I
get sort of sharp-set if I wait after that. I cal'lated you city folks
was late sleepers, and I wouldn't want to make any trouble, so I found
a little eating house down below here a ways and had a cup of coffee and
some bread and butter and mush. Then I went cruisin' round in Central
Park a spell. This IS Central Park over across here, ain't it?"

"Yes." The girl was too astonished to say more.

"I thought 'twas. I'd been through part of it afore, but 'twas years