“Say, Miss,” he began, “I know a fine way out of yer difficulty.  It’s a great one, an’ jist stuck me all of a sudden.”

“You do!  Oh, I knew you would help me.”

“Yes, it’s the only way I kin see,” the captain continued.  “It will keep yer parents from forcin’ ye to marry that Lord’s son.  They can’t touch ye if ye jist foller my advice.”

“I will, Captain.  Just tell me what to do.”

“Git married.”

“Oh!” The girl gave a great start, while her face crimsoned.

“Didn’t expect that, eh?” and the captain chuckled.  “Took ye kinder by surprise?”

“Indeed it did.  And I’m afraid I can’t take your advice.  Why, I’ve run away to escape getting married.”

“Ah, that’s all right, Miss.  Ye ran away to escape one man, but I guess thar’s another ye won’t run away from.  Isn’t that true?  Thar now, ye needn’t blush an’ git all confused.  I’m old enough to be yer grandfather, so ye needn’t git upsot at what I say.  I’m only speakin’ fer yer good.  Marry John Hampton, an’ then ye won’t have to worry any more about marryin’ that Lord Stick-in-the-Mud.  John’s a real nice feller, an’ I guess you like him as well as he likes you.”

“But, Captain, I couldn’t marry John,” Jess protested.  “In fact, he hasn’t even asked me to marry him.”

“He hasn’t!  John hasn’t asked ye to marry him?” The captain’s surprise and indignation were so great that he sat bolt upright.  Then he sank back with a groan.  “Blame that foot!” he growled.  “I fergot all about it.  An’ no wonder.  To think that John hasn’t asked ye to marry him.  What in thunder has he been doin’, then?”

Before the girl could reply, the women returned, and in a few minutes she and Mrs. Hampton left the house.  Jess was pleased at the interruption, for the conversation was becoming embarrassing.  Nevertheless, she thought more of the captain for his friendly words of advice, and cherished them in the depth of her heart.  She knew that they were true, and that to marry the man she loved would free her from all annoyance of Donaster.

There was great excitement the next day in the Tobin family when “The Daily Courier” arrived.  It had a full account of the thrilling experience of rescuing the “Eb and Flo” at the brink of the falls.  Mrs. Tobin read it aloud, while the captain and Flo listened with intense interest.  At times the former interrupted with exclamations of surprise.  He was more excited than his wife had ever seen him, and he could hardly restrain himself from leaping from the sofa and prancing around the room.

“Well, I’ll be jiggered!” he thundered, when his wife had finished, and laid aside the paper.  “Why in time didn’t Eben tie up at some wharf instead of goin’ through the Narrows when the tide was runnin’ down?  That boy hasn’t enough brains to last him over night.”

“Don’t talk that way, Sam’l,” his wife chided.  “No doubt the poor boy was doing the best he could.  He must have used his brains when he saved the boat from going on the mud flats.”