“Land sakes!” she exclaimed. “I should say you was! What in the world got you up so early? Ain't sick, are you?”
“No,” replied the captain wearily. “I ain't sick. I didn't sleep very well last night, that's all.”
Georgianna looked sharply at him. His face was haggard and his eyes had dark circles under them.
“Humph!” she grunted. “No, I guess you didn't. Looks to me as if you'd been up all night.” Then she added an anxious query: “'Tain't Bos'n—she ain't sick, I hope?”
“No. She's all right. I say, Georgianna, you put on an extry plate this mornin'. Got company for breakfast.”
The housekeeper was surprised.
“For breakfast?” she repeated. “Land of goodness! who's comin' for breakfast? I never heard of company droppin' in for breakfast. That's one meal folks generally get to home. Who is it? Mr. Tidditt? Has Ketury turned him out door because he's too bad an example for her husband?”
“No, 'tain't Ase. It's a—a friend of mine. Well, not exactly a friend, maybe, but an acquaintance from out of town. He came last evenin'. He's up in the spare bedroom.”
“Well, I never! Come unexpected, didn't he? I wish I'd known he was comin'. That spare room bed ain't been aired I don't know when.”
“I guess he can stand it. I cal'late he's slept in consider'ble worse—Hum! Yes, he did come kind of sudden.”