Page:Silver Shoal Light.djvu/236

 "Here's the other one, Cap'n 'Bijah," said Joan. "Aren't you nice to think of us!" She took the Captain's hard, brown hand and stepped into the swaying boat. "Shall I sit here?"

The Lydia spluttered out into open water and the passengers waved their hands to Elspeth, who was a little bewildered by their sudden departure.

"Don't hev no objections to steerin' a boat ever, do ye?" Cap'n 'Bijah inquired jocularly of Garth, who sat looking with longing eyes at the tiller. "Guess ye might as well take her; I'll 'tend to the in-jine. My! you go to thet air tiller like 't was a magnet! Will it put you out, ma'am, ef I smoke my ol' pipe?"

"Please do!" Joan begged. "What a wonderful day to be on the water! Where do you mean to go, Cap'n 'Bijah?"

"Out a piece," replied the old man, slicing off a chunk of plug tobacco and rolling it in his rough palms. "Hope you're a good sailor. Kind o' tryin', ef ye ain't, anchorin' out thar."

"She's a very good sailor," said Garth, "and I don't mind it."

"You!" chuckled the Captain. "You're a reg'lar stormy-petrel. Guess 't would take a