The
inclosure was a dingy sheet of cheap notepaper covered with a penciled
scrawl. With trembling fingers she unfolded the paper and read what was
written there. Then she leaned back in the chair and put her hand to her
forehead.
She was sitting thus when the door of the dining-room opened and a voice
hailed: "Ahoy there! Anybody on deck?"
She turned to see Captain Obed Bangs' cheery face peering in at her.
"Hello!" cried the captain, entering the room and tossing his cap on the
table. "You're here, are you? I was lookin' for you and Imogene said she
cal'lated you was aboard ship somewheres, but she wa'n't sartin where.
I've come to get that second mate of mine. I'm goin' off with a gang
to take up the last of my fish weirs and I thought maybe the little
shaver'd like to go along. I need help in bossin' the fo'mast hands, you
see, and he's some consider'ble of a driver, that second mate is.
Yes sir-ee! You ought to hear him order 'em to get up anchor. Ho! ho!
I--Hey? Why--why, what's the matter?"
Thankful's face was still pale and she was trembling.
"Nothin', nothin', Cap'n Bangs," she said. "I've had a--a surprise,
that's all."
"A surprise! Yes, you look as if you had." Then, noticing the letter in
her lap, he added. "You ain't had bad news, have you?"
"No. No, not exactly. It's good news. Yes, in a way it's good news,
but--but I didn't expect it and--and it has shook me up a good deal.
. . . And--and I don't know what to do. Oh, I don't know WHAT I'd ought
to do!"
The distress in her tone was so real that the captain was greatly
disturbed.
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