Your affectionate brother,
NICOLAI.
In the padre's little adobe house Storm finished reading, and at once the fairies, peeping round the edge of the door and the window, made grand pretense that they had not heard.
"Padre," asked Rain, "what's bald?"
The holy man lowered his head to show the shaven tonsure. "That," said he.
"Oh!" said Rain. "I never saw a bald before. We don't have any in the Blackfoot nation." Tears came to her eyes and made them glisten. "And fat," she said. "Poor Nicolai! Poor Little Fur Seal! Storm, when you meet him in the Oregon be kind to him and comfort him for the fat and bald. And give her my love too."
"If I remember," answered Storm.
* * * * * * *
And Bill awakened because the bos'n knelt beside him with a lantern, taking off the handcuffs. The Beaver was at sea.