“Bangs is my name, ma’am,” said the big man with the lantern.  “Obed Bangs.”

“Thank you, Mr. Bangs.  Or it’s ‘Cap’n Bangs,’ ain’t it?”

“They generally call me Cap’n, ma’am, though I ain’t been doin’ any active seafarin’ for some time.”

“I thought as much.  Down here on Cape Cod, and givin’ orders the way I heard you afore you come into this room, ’twas nine chances to one you was a cap’n, or you had been one.  Bangs—­Bangs—­Obed Bangs?  Why, that name sounds kind of familiar.  Seems as if—­Cap’n Bangs, you didn’t use to know Eben Barnes of Provincetown, did you?”

“Eben Barnes?  Cap’n Eben of the White Foam, lost off Cape Hatteras in a gale?”

“Yes, that’s the one.  I thought I heard him speak of you.  He was my husband.”

Captain Obed Bangs uttered an exclamation.  Then he stepped forward and seized Mrs. Barnes’ hand.  The lady’s hand was not a very small one but the Captain’s was so large that, as Thankful remarked afterward, it might have shaken hers twice at the same time.

“Eben Barnes’ wife!” exclaimed Captain Obed.  “Why, Eben and I was messmates on I don’t know how many v’yages!  Well, well, well, ma’am, I’m real glad to see you.”

“You ain’t so glad as we are to see you—­and your friend,” observed Thankful, drily.  “Is he a captain, too?”

He didn’t look like one, certainly.  He had removed his sou’wester, uncovering a round head, with reddish-gray hair surrounding a bald spot at the crown.  He had a double chin and a smile which was apologetic but ingratiating.  He seemed less frightened than when he first entered the room, but still glanced about him with evident apprehension.

“No—­no, ma’am,” he stammered, in answer to the question.  “No, ma’am, I—­I—­my name’s Parker.  I—­I ain’t a cap’n; no, ma’am.”

“Kenelm ain’t been promoted yet,” observed Captain Obed gravely.  “He’s waitin’ until he get’s old enough to go to sea.  Ain’t that it, Kenelm?”

Kenelm smiled and shifted his sou’wester from his right hand to his left.

“I—­I cal’late so,” he answered.

“Well, it don’t make any difference,” declared Thankful.  “My cousin and I are just as glad to see him as if he was an admiral.  We’ve been waitin’ so long to see any human bein’ that we’d begun to think they was all drowned.  But you haven’t met my cousin yet.  Her name’s Howes.”

Emily, who had stood by, patient but chilly, during the introductions and reminiscences, shook hands with Captain Bangs and Mr. Parker.  Both gentlemen said they were pleased to meet her; no, Captain Obed said that—­Kenelm said that he was “glad to be acquaintanced.”

“I don’t know as we hadn’t ought to beg your pardon for creepin’ in on you this way,” said the captain.  “We thought the house was empty.  We didn’t know you was visitin’ your—­your property.”

“Well, so far as that goes, neither did we.  I don’t wonder you expected to find burglars or tramps or whatever you did expect.  We’ve had an awful time this night, ain’t we, Emily?”