He awoke early, and scrambled to his feet.  Eben was still asleep, so he moved about as quietly as possible so as not to disturb him.  Far off in the east the dawn of a new day was breaking, and the sky was resplendent with the soft rosy tints of the virgin morn.  From the shore came faint twitterings of birds just awaking from slumber.  Presently the raucous honks of autos some distance down the road fell upon his ears.  In a few minutes the cars appeared, and drew up at the wharf not far away.  Several men alighted, and from their actions the captain could tell that they were very much excited.  Then more autos arrived, until about twenty men were standing upon the wharf and the road.  He wondered what they wanted, and what had brought them there at such an early hour.  When, however, he saw them rowing from the shore in several flat-bottom boats, the meaning of the commotion flashed upon his mind.  They were searching for the missing girl, believing that she had been drowned the night before.  The captain was in a quandary.  His first impulse was to hail the men, and tell them that the missing one was safe.  But what would the girl think of him if he betrayed her?  No, he would not do such a thing without speaking to her first.  He glanced toward the cabin, and to his surprise saw smoke coming from the stove-pipe protruding through the roof of the cabin.  The girl, he knew, must be awake, so he might as well inform her at once.

He hurried away aft, and paused at the cabin door.  It was open, and glancing down he saw the girl busily engaged in preparing breakfast.  The appetising odour of coffee greeted his nostrils, and he heard something sizzling in the frying-pan.  Just then the girl glanced up, and a bright smile of welcome illumined her face.  Her cheeks were flushed with the heat and exercise, and the captain thought he had never beheld a more charming face.

“Good morning,” she greeted.  “Come in; breakfast is almost ready.”

“Well, I’ll be hanged!” the captain ejaculated as he descended the stairs.  “What in time are ye up so early fer?”

“Isn’t the cook always supposed to be up early?” the girl questioned, while her eyes sparkled with merriment.

“S’pose so,” and the captain scratched his head in a dubious manner.  “But I wasn’t lookin’ upon you as a cook, fer I had no idea that ye understood anything about a kitchen.”

“Well, then, you were much mistaken.  Just sit down, and try this egg-on-toast, and this coffee.  I have learned a few things, so am not altogether useless.  Cooking is one of my accomplishments, though, perhaps, I may not suit such an expert as you.”

After the captain had washed himself in the granite-iron basin, and carefully brushed his hair, he sat down at the little side-table.  His breakfast was already before him, but he would not touch it until the girl was ready for hers.  He noted with appreciation that the oil-cloth on the table was especially clean, and how neatly the few dishes were arranged.