第27章

"We--we didn't know you had company, Whit," said Asaph. "We been up to Simmons's and Alpheus said you was thin and peaked and looked sick. Said you bought sass'p'rilla and all kind of truck. He was afraid you had fever and was out of your head, cruisin round in the rain with no umbrella. The gang weren't talkin' of nothin' else, so me and Bailey thought we'd come right down.""That's kind of you, I'm sure. Take your things off and set down.

No, I'm sorry to disappoint Smalley and the rest, but I'm able to be up and--er--make my own bed, thank you. So Alpheus thought Ilooked thin, hey? Well, if I had to live on that soup he sold me, I'd be thinner'n I am now. You tell him that canned hot water is all right if you like it, but it seems a shame to put mud in it.

It only changes the color and don't help the taste."Mr. Bangs, who was still staring at Emily, now ventured a remark.

"Is that a relation of yours, Cy?" he asked.

"That? Oh! Well, no, not exactly. And yet I don't know but she is. Fellers, this is Emmie Thomas. Can't you shake hands, Emmie?"The child rose, laid down the magazine, which was open at the colored picture of a group of ladies in crinoline and chignons, and, going across the room, extended a hand to Mr. Tidditt.

"How do you do, sir?" she said.

"Why--er--how d'ye do? I'm pretty smart, thank you. How's yourself?""I'm better now. I guess the sass'parilla was good for me.""'Twan't the sass'p'rilla," observed the captain, with conviction.

"'Twas the 'Arabian Balsam.' Ma always cured me with it and there's nothin' finer.""But what in time--" began Bailey. Captain Cy glanced at the child and then at the clock.

"Don't you think you'd better turn in now, Emmie?" he said hastily, cutting off the remainder of the Bangs query. "It's after eight, and when I was little I was abed afore that."Emily obediently turned, gathered up the Lady's Books and replaced them in the closet. Then she went to the dining room and came back with a hand lamp.

"Good night," she said, addressing the visitors. Then, coming close to the captain, she put her face up for a kiss.

"Good night," she said to him, adding, "I like it here ever so much. I'm awful glad you let me stay."As Bailey told Asaph afterwards, Captain Cy blushed until the ends of the red lapped over at the nape of his neck. However, he bent and kissed the rosy lips and then quickly brushed his own with his hand.

"Yes, yes," he stammered. "Well--er--good night. Pleasant dreams to you. See you in the mornin'."The girl paused at the chamber door. "You won't have to unbutton my waist now," she said. "This is my other one and it ain't that kind."The door closed. The captain, without looking at his friends, led the way to the dining room.

"Come on out here," he whispered. "We can talk better here."Naturally, they wanted to know all about the girl, who she was and where she came from. Captain Cy told as much of the history of the affair as he thought necessary.

"Poor young one," he concluded, "she landed on to me in the rain, soppin' wet, and ha'f sick. I COULDN'T turn her out then--nobody could. Course it's an everlastin' outrage on me and the cheekiest thing ever I heard of, but what could I do? I was fixed a good deal like an English feller by the name of Gatenby that I used to know in South America. He woke up in the middle of the night and found a boa constrictor curled on the foot of his bed. Next day, when a crowd of us happened in, there was Gatenby, white as a sheet, starin' down at the snake, and it sound asleep. 'I didn't invite him,' he says, 'but he looked so bloomin' comf'table I'adn't the 'eart to disturb 'im.' Same way with me; the child seemed so comf'table here I ain't had the heart to disturb her--yet."

"But she said she was goin' to stay," put in Bailey. "You ain't goin' to KEEP her, are you?"The captain's indignation was intense.

"Who--me?" he snorted. "What do you think I am? I ain't runnin' an orphan asylum. No, sir! I'll keep the young one a day or so--or maybe a week--and then I'll pack her off to Betsy Howes. Iain't so soft as they think I am. I'LL show 'em!"Mr. Tidditt looked thoughtful.

"She's a kind of cute little girl, ain't she?" he observed.

Captain Cy's frown vanished and a smile took its place.

"That's so," he chuckled. "She is, now that's a fact! I don't know's I ever saw a cuter."