Captain Jerry looked from Elsie to the speaker, and then to Elsie again. But Captain Eri's hand was on his arm, and he rose and went.
Elsie watched this wholesale desertion with amazement. Then the door opened again, and Captain Eri put in his head.
“Elsie,” he said, “I jest want to tell you that this is my doin's, not Jerry's. That's all.” And the door shut.
Elsie faced the caller with astonishment written on her face.
“Mr. Hazeltine,” she said icily, “you may know what this means, but I don't.”
Ralph looked at her and answered solemnly, but with a twinkle in his eye:
“I'm afraid I can guess, Miss Preston. You see Captain Jerry paid Captain Eri a call this afternoon and, as a result, Captain Eri called upon me. Then, as a result of THAT, I—well, I came here.”
The young lady blushed furiously. “What did Captain Eri tell you?” she demanded.
“Just what Captain Jerry told him.”
“And that was?”