“Lots better now, old man?”
Greg said “Lots,” and then, “But what I did want to ask you is, how you sailed all the way from the Mid-Equator to here in such a little boat?”
The Bottle Man laughed, and then said very soberly:
“But are you sure you measured it right? To-morrow I’ll show you on the map.”
We only stayed a minute, and then said good-night and went out. I was the last one, and just as I was going through the door, Greg said:
“Chris! Come back!”
So I went and sat on the edge of the bed in the dark, and Greg put his good arm around my neck when I bent down.
“Do you know, Chris,” he said, “sometimes that night I think I thought you were Mother. Oh, Chris, I do love you awfully much!”
And I was happier then than I’d been since—oh, it seemed centuries ago.