“Don't know. If 'twas one of the hands I guess likely she'd have hove him overboard. If 'twas the skipper I shouldn't wonder if she'd have knocked him down—after she got over the surprise of his darin' to do such, a thing. She had HIM trained, I tell ye!”
“Miss Colton thinks me rather a bully, I am afraid,” I said. “I did order her about rather roughly.”
Mr. Atwood burst into a laugh. “That Ezry Jones woman was the skipper's wife,” he declared. “Makes a lot of diff'rence, that does. I was considerable of a bully myself afore Betsy got me on the parson's books. Now I'm the most peaceable critter ever you see. Your turn's comin', Miss Colton. All you got to do is be patient.”
“Joshua!” said Mrs. Atwood, in mild reproof. “You mustn't mind his talk, Miss Colton. He's a terrible joker.”
Miss Colton changed the subject. She did not so much as look at me again during the meal and, after it was over, she went to her room, explaining that she was very tired and would try to get a little sleep.
I had discovered that the lighthouse, being close to the mainland, was equipped with a telephone. Now I begged permission to use it. I called up Denboro and asked to be connected with the Colton home. I felt very sure that there would be no sleep in the big house that night and I wished to relieve their anxiety and to send word to Mother. Mr. Colton himself answered my call.
I announced my identity and explained where I was and that his daughter was in my care and perfectly safe.
“Thank God!” was the fervent exclamation at the other end of the wire, and the voice which uttered it was shaking with emotion. “Stay where you are a moment, Paine. Let me tell my wife. She is almost crazy. Hold the wire.”
I held the wire and waited. The next voice which reached my ears was Mrs. Colton's. She asked a dozen questions, one after the other. Was Mabel safe? Was I sure she was safe? Wasn't the poor child almost dead after all she'd been through? What had happened? What was she doing away over there in that dreadful place? Why had I taken her there?
I answered as well as I could, telling briefly of the collision in the fog and what followed. The explanation appeared to be rather unsatisfactory.