"This is Miss Egan, I believe. Ah, Winterslip, how are you?" He turned again to the girl. "I've taken a room here, if you don't mind."
"Why, not at all," she gasped.
"I talked with your father this morning. I didn't know about his trouble until I had boarded a ship for the Fanning Islands. I came back as quickly as I could."
"You came back—" She stared at him.
"Yes. I came back to help him."
"That's very kind of you," the girl said. "But I'm afraid I don't understand—"
"Oh, no, you don't understand. Naturally." The captain smiled down at her. "You see, Jim's my young brother. You're my niece, and your name is Carlota Maria Cope. I fancy I've persuaded old Jim to own up to us at last."
The girl's dark eyes were wide. "I—I think you're a very nice uncle," she said at last.
"Do you really?" The captain bowed. "I aim to be," he added.
John Quincy stepped forward. "Pardon me," he said. "I'm afraid I'm intruding. Good night, Captain."