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undress yourself； neither。 Set still； and I'll have you peeled in a
jiffy。〃
His guest was making feeble efforts to remove his socks。 Atkins
pushed him back into the chair and stripped the blue and dripping
rags from feet which were almost as blue from cold。 The castaway
attempted a weak resistance； but gave it up and said； with a
whimsical smile：
〃I'm mightily obliged to you。 I never realized before that a valet
was such a blessing。 Most of mine have been confounded nuisances。〃
〃Hey？〃 queried Seth； looking up。
〃Nothing。 Pardon me for comparing you with a valet。〃
〃Land sakes！ I don't care what you call me。 I was out of my head
once myselftyphoid fever 'twasand they say the things I called
the doctor was somethin' scandalous。 You ain't responsible。 You're
beat out； and your brain's weak； like the rest of you。 Now hold on
till I get you a nightgown。〃
He started for the bedroom。 The young man seemed a bit troubled。
〃Just a minute；〃 he observed。 〃Don't you think I had better move to
a less conspicuous apartment？ The door is open； and if any of your
neighbors should happen byany ladies； for instance； I〃
〃Ladies！〃 Mr。 Atkins regarded him frowningly。 〃In the fust place；
there ain't a neighbor nigher'n four miles； and； in the next； I'd
have you understand no women come to this house。 If you knew me
better； young feller； you'd know that。 Set where you be。〃
The nightshirt was one of the lightkeeper's own； and； although Seth
was a good…sized man； it fitted the castaway almost too tightly for
comfort。 However； it was dry and warm and； by leaving a button or
two unfastened at the neck； answered the purpose well enough。 The
stranger was piloted to the bedroom； assisted into the depths of a
feather bed； and covered with several layers of blankets and
patchwork quilts。
〃There！〃 observed Seth； contentedly； 〃now you go to sleep。 If you
get to sweatin'； so much the better。 'Twill get some of that cold
water out of you。 So long！〃
He departed； closing the door after him。 Then he built a fire in
the range； got breakfast； ate it； washed the dishes and continued
his forenoon's work。 Not a sound from the bedroom。 Evidently the
strange arrival had taken the advice concerning going to sleep。 But
all the time he was washing dishes； rubbing brass work or sweeping；
Mr。 Atkins's mind was busy with the puzzle which fate had handed
him。 Occasionally he chuckled； and often he shook his head。 He
could make nothing out of it。 One thing only was certainhe had
never before met a human being exactly like this specimen。
It was half past twelve before there were signs of life in the
bedroom。 Seth was setting the table for dinner； when the door of
the room opened a little way； and a voice said：
〃I say； are you there？〃
〃I be。 What do you want？〃
〃Would you mind telling me what you've done with my clothes？〃
〃Not a bit。 I've got 'em out on the line； and they ain't dry yet。
If you'll look on the chair by the sou'west window you'll find a
rig…out of mine。 I'm afraid 'twill fit you too quickyou're such
an elephantbut I'll risk it if you will。〃
Apparently the stranger was willing to risk it； for in a few moments
he appeared； dressed in the Atkins Sunday suit of blue cloth； and
with Seth's pet carpet slippers on his feet。
〃Hello！〃 was the lightkeeper's greeting。 〃How you feelin'？
better？〃
〃Tip top； thank you。 Where do you wash； when it's necessary？〃
〃Basin right there in the sink。 Soap in the becket over top of it。
Roller towel on the closet door。 Ain't you had water enough for a
spell？〃
〃Not fresh water； thank you。 I'm caked with salt from head to
foot。〃
〃Does make a feller feel like a split herrin'； if he ain't used to
it。 Think you can eat anything？〃
〃Can I？〃 The response was enthusiastic。 〃You watch me！ My last
meal was yesterday noon。〃
〃Yesterday NOON！ Didn't you eat no supper？〃
〃No。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Well； Iwell； to be frank； because I hadn't the price。 It took my
last cent to pay my fare on that blessed steamer。〃
〃Great land of love！ What time was it when you fell overboard？〃
〃Oh； I don't know。 Two o'clock； perhaps。〃
〃Two o'clock！ What was you doin' up at two o'clock？ Why wasn't you
in your stateroom asleep？〃
〃I hadn't any stateroom。 Staterooms cost money。〃
〃My soul！ And you swum three hours on an empty stomach？〃
〃Not altogether。 Part of it on my back。 But； if you'll excuse
familiarity on short acquaintance； those things you're cooking smell
good to me。〃
〃Them's clam fritters； and； if YOU'LL excuse my sayin' so that
shouldn't； they ARE good。 Set down and fill up。〃
The visitor ate nine of the fritters； a slice of dried…apple pie；
and drank two cups of coffee。 Seth； between intervals of frying and
eating； watched him with tremendous curiosity and as much patience
as he could muster。 When the pie was finished he asked the first of
the questions with which he had been bursting all the forenoon。
〃Tell me；〃 he said； 〃how'd you come to fall overboard？〃
〃I'm not very certain just how it happened。 I remember leaning over
the rail and watching the waves。 Then I was very dizzy all at once。
The next thing I knew I was in the water。〃
〃Dizzy； hey？ Seasick； may be。〃
〃I guess not。 I'm a pretty good sailor。 I'm inclined to think the
cause was that empty stomach you mentioned。〃
〃Um…hm。 You didn't have no supper。 Still； you ate the noon afore。〃
〃Not much。 Only a sandwich。〃
〃A sandwich！ What did you have for breakfast？〃
〃Well； the fact is； I overslept and decided to omit the breakfast。〃
〃Gosh！ no wonder you got dizzy。 If I went without meals for a whole
day I cal'late I'd be worse than dizzy。 What did you do when you
found yourself in the water？〃
〃Yelled at first； but no one heard me。 Then I saw some lights off
in this direction and started to swim for them。 I made the shore
finally； but I was so used up that I don't remember anything after
the landing。 Think I took a nap。〃
〃I presume likely。 Wonder 'twasn't your everlastin' nap！ Tut！ tut！
tut！ Think of it！〃
〃I don't want to； thank you。 It isn't pleasant enough to think of。
I'm here andby the way； where IS here？〃
〃This is Eastboro townshipEastboro； Cape Cod。 Them lights out
there are Eastboro Twin…Lights。 I'm the keeper of 'em。 My name's
Atkins； Seth Atkins。〃
〃Delighted to meet you； Mr。 Atkins。 And tremendously obliged to
you； besides。〃
〃You needn't be。 I ain't done nothin'。 Let me see； you said your
name was〃
〃Did I？〃 The young man seemed startled； almost alarmed。 〃When？〃
Seth was embarrassed； but not much。 〃Well；〃 he admitted； 〃I don't
know's you did say it； come to think of it。 What IS your name？〃
〃My name？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Oh； whymy name is BrownerJohn Brown。 Not the gentleman who
was hanged； of course； distant relative； that's all。〃
〃Hum！ John Brown； hey？ What steamer did you fall off of？〃
〃WhywhyI can't seem to remember。 That's odd； isn't it？〃
〃Yes； I should say 'twas。 Where was she bound？〃
〃Bound？ Oh； you mean where was she going？〃
〃Sartin。〃
〃I thinkI think she was going toto。 。 。 。 Humph！ how strange
this is！〃
〃What？〃
〃Why； that I should forget all these things。〃
The lightkeeper regarded his guest with suspicion。
〃Yaas；〃 he drawled slowly； 〃when you call it strange you ain't
exaggeratin' none wuth mentionin'。 I s'pose；〃 he added； after a
moment； during which he stared intently at Mr。 Brown； who smiled in
polite acknowledgment of the stare； 〃I s'pose likely you couldn't
possibly remember what port you hailed from？〃
〃I suppose not；〃 was the calm reply。
Seth rose from the table。
〃Well；〃 he observed； 〃I've been up all night； too； and it's past my
bedtime。 As I told you； my assistant's left all of a sudden and I'm
alone in charge of gov'ment property。 I ought to turn in； but〃 he
hesitated。
John Brown also rose。
〃Mr。 Atkins；〃 he said； 〃my memory seems to be pretty bad； but I
haven't forgotten everything。 For instance；〃 his smile disappeared；
and his tone became earnest； 〃I can remember perfectly well that I'm
not a crook； that I haven't done anything to be ashamed ofas I see
itthat I'm very grateful to you； and that I don't steal。 If you
care to believe that and； also； that； being neither a sneak or a
thief； I sha'n't clear out with the spoons while you're asleep； you
mightwell； you might risk turning in。〃
The lightkeeper did not answer immediately。 The pair looked each
other straight in the eye。
Then Seth yawned and turned toward the bedroom。
〃I抣l risk it；〃 he said； curtly。 〃If I ain't awake by six o'clock I
wish you'd call me。 You'll find some spare clay pipes and tobacco
on the mantelpiece by the clock。 So long。〃
He entered the bedroom and closed the door。 Mr。 Brown stepped over
to the mantel and helped himself to a pipe。
CHAPTER III
MR。 BROWN PUTS IN AN APPLICATION
At half past five the lightkeeper opened the bedroom door and peeped
out。 The kitchen was empty。 There was no sign of Mr。 Brown。 It
took Seth just four minutes to climb into the garments he had
discarded and reach the open air。 His guest was seated on the bench
beside the h