"I like a captain," said Rose. "I think it's ever so much nicer than a general or a major. They always sound like names of dogs; but a captain is nice."
"I am glad you think so!" laughed Captain Ben, and so he was called that by the children.
"But what's your last name?" asked Vi. You might have known she would find some question to ask, and she did.
"My last name is Barsey," was the answer of Captain Ben. "But I don't imagine you children will have much use for it. Just say Captain Ben and I'll know who you mean."
There was more talk and laughter, and the six little Bunkers began to feel very well acquainted with Captain Ben. At dinner he told something of how he had enlisted and fought in the war, but he did not dwell much on this, for he guessed, rightly, that Mr. and Mrs. Bunker did not want to have the children think too much about the terrible fighting that had taken place in France.
"And so, after I was discharged and was free to leave the army, I decided to take a long rest," said Captain Ben. "As you know, Cousin Amy," he said to Mrs. Bunker, "I have a very nice bungalow down on the Jersey coast at Grand View. It is all ready for me to go down there and spend the rest of the summer, and I want you all to come with me."
"Is there any more summer?" asked Laddie. "I thought we spent all the summer at Uncle Fred's."
"There is still some summer left," answered Captain Ben.
"That sounds funny!" laughed Laddie. "Some summer! Maybe I could make up a riddle about it."
"Do you like riddles?" asked Captain Ben.