“Yus.”
“If I find to-morrer that ye haven’t done it, I’ll use ye for porgie-bait. Understand?”
“Yus.”
With this the boy removed his eyes from Betsy for the first time, and ran at a dog-trot toward the beach.
“I never saw that child,” said Betsy.
“No. There’s another generation comin’ up. He won’t be able to tell Mrs. Bachelder who’s havin’ breakfast with me; and when she comes home from Portland she’ll get a letter tellin’ her she’s lost her job.”
“I’ll write it,” said Betsy. “She’s a good soul.”
“You’ll write it!” The captain was standing, and he paused, a cup and saucer in each hand, and gazed at her admiringly. “Clever Betsy! and she’s mine.”
“She’s taken good care of you, Hiram. I want her to know we appreciate it.”