broad collar, a short peajacket and wide-bottomed sailor trousers,
one leg of which covered his wooden limb but did not hide it. As he
came "pegging" along the path--as he himself described his hobbling
walk--his hands were pushed into his coat pockets, a pipe was in his
mouth, and his black neckscarf was fluttering behind him in the
breeze like a sable banner.

Button-Bright liked the sailor's looks. There was something very
winning--something jolly and carefree and honest and sociable--about
the ancient seaman that made him everybody's friend, so the strange
boy was glad to meet him.

"Well, well, Trot," he said, coming up, "is this the way you hurry
to town?"

"No, for I'm on my way back," said she. "I did hurry when I was
going, Cap'n Bill, but on my way home I sat down here to rest an'
watch the gulls--the gulls seem awful busy today, Cap'n Bill--an'
then I found this boy."

Cap'n Bill looked at the boy curiously. "Don't think as ever I sawr
him at the village," he remarked. "Guess as you're a stranger, my
lad."

Button-Bright nodded.

"Hain't walked the nine mile from the railroad station, have ye?"
asked Cap'n Bill.

"No," said Button-Bright.