Miss Hoag faltered that she didn’t know’s she hardly believed ’twould.  “I always have had some sort of instrumental music, Cap’n Jethro.  Don’t seem to me’s if I could hardly get along without it.”

The captain grunted again.  “Can’t anybody play anything?” he demanded.  “Anything that’s within hailin’ distance, I mean.”

Another silent interval.  And then a voice said, timidly, “I can play the mouth organ.”

It was Primmie’s voice and as she was sitting next Zach Bloomer, who was next Galusha Bangs, the unexpectedness of it made the latter jump.  Miss Phipps, next in line on Galusha’s left, jumped likewise.

“Primmie,” she said, sharply, “don’t be silly.”

“But I can, Miss Martha.  You know I can.  Zach knows it, too.  You’ve heard me, ain’t you, Zach?  Ain’t you?  Ain’t you?”

Thus urged, Mr. Bloomer answered, “I’ve heard you,” he said.  And added, fervently and under his breath, “Godfreys!”

“Primmie,” began Martha, again, but Captain Jethro broke in.

“Quiet, Martha Phipps,” he ordered.  “Stop your talkin’, all hands.  Marietta, do you cal’late you could get under way with mouth organ music?”

“Why—­why, I don’t know.  Maybe I could if—­if it played church tunes.”

“Can you play hymn tunes, Primmie?”

“Yes, sir.  I can play ‘Sweet By and By’ and ’Brighten the Corner Where You Be’ and ‘Pack up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag.’  No, that ain’t one, is it?  But I can play—­”

“Where’s your mouth organ now?”

“It’s in my jacket pocket out yonder in the kitchen.”

“Go fetch it.”

Sounds as of one individual falling over others, accompanied by exclamations and confusion, indicated that Miss Cash was going in search of the instrument.  Lulie made one more attempt at persuasion.

“Father,” she pleaded, “what makes you try to hold a seance to-night?  You’ve been ’way over to Trumet and back and you must be tired.  You aren’t very well, you know, and all this excitement isn’t good for you.  Won’t you please—­”

Her father stamped his foot.  “Set down,” he shouted.  “I know what I’m doin’.  This is my house and I’ll do as I please in it.  Stop!  I don’t want to hear any more.  Where’s that Cash girl?”

Primmie was returning bearing the mouth organ.  She plowed through the circle like an armored tank through a wire entanglement and reached the light keeper’s side.

“Here I be,” she announced, “and here ’tis.  Shall I commence to begin now?  Where do you want me to set?”

She was given a seat in the front row, facing the medium.  Captain Hallett, after some final instructions to Zacheus concerning the turning lower of one of the lamps and a last order for stillness, gave the command.

“All ready!  Heave ahead!”

Miss Hoag leaned back in her rocking-chair and closed her eyes.  Primmie drew a long breath and the first bars of the “Sweet By and By” were forcibly evicted from the harmonica.  Zach Bloomer, the irrepressible, leaned over and breathed into his neighbor’s ear.