no doubt about Cap'n Jethro's believin', he's rank."

"I see. Well, is he--is he rational in other ways? It seems odd to have
a--ah--an insane man in charge of--"

"Insane? My savin' soul, what put that idea in your head? He ain't
crazy, Jethro Hallet ain't. He's smart. Wuth consider'ble money, so
they say, and hangs on to it, too. Used to be cap'n of a four-masted
schooner, till he hurt his back and had to stay ashore. His back's
got to hurtin' him worse lately and Zach and Miss Martha they cal'late
that's why Lulie give up her teachin' school up to Ostable and come down
here to live along with him. I heard 'em talkin' about it t'other day
and that's what they cal'late. Miss Martha she thinks a sight of Lulie."

"And--ah--this Miss Lulie is the light keeper's daughter?" Bangs was
not especially interested in the Hallett family, but he found Primmie
amusing.

"Uh-hm. All the child he's got. Some diff'rent from our tribe; there was
thirteen young ones in our family. Pa used to say he didn't care long's
we didn't get so thick he'd step on ary one of us. He didn't care about
a good many things, Pa didn't. Ma had to do the carin' and most of the
work, too. Yes, Lulie's Jethro's daughter and he just bows down and
worships her."

"I see. I see. And is--ah--Miss Hallett as spookily inclined as her
parent?"

"Hey?"