“You, old! Who’s been telling you that?”
“Nobody, ’cepting this infernal rheumatism. But I ain’t quite as badly crippled up this morning as the preacher is, at that.”
“Do you mean to say that the minister has the rheumatism?”
“No, he ain’t got nothing as tame or ordinary as that. He started with a sprained j’int from the cruise, but he’s going to have something far worse, if I don’t miss my guess. Clemmie’s been soaking his ankle in red pepper.” He chuckled quietly as he helped Elizabeth into the dory.
“Soaking his foot in red pepper?”
“Yes. Hot as fire, too, it was. I asked if she didn’t have the water a mite too red, but she said it wa’n’t, and I cal’late she’d otter know.”
“Isn’t she the quaintest little woman? I remember her when I was a child, but she didn’t like me one bit because I spilled some hot water on her once. Is she going to stay with you?”
“She’s going to keep house,” replied the Captain, drawing the dory alongside his power-boat. “Well, here we be, Beth.”
Elizabeth sprang lightly over the side. She led the way to the roof of the cabin, where she sat down. When the Captain had taken his place at her side, she looked up eagerly into his eyes.