“Reckon he don’t bring out cigars when you make him a call,” said the steamboat captain, jerking his thumb up at the house.  It was Mr. Jacob Cluyme’s.

Captain Grant did not reply to that, nor did Captain Lige expect him to, as it was the custom of this strange and silent man to speak ill of no one.  He turned rather to put the stakes back into his wagon.

“Where are you off to, Lige?” he asked.

“Lord bless my soul,” said Captain Lige, “to think that I could forget!” He tucked a bundle tighter under his arm.  “Grant, did you ever see my little sweetheart, Jinny Carvel?” The Captain sighed.  “She ain’t little any more, and she eighteen to-day.”

Captain Grant clapped his hand to his forehead.

“Say, Lige,” said he, “that reminds me.  A month or so ago I pulled a fellow out of Renault’s area across from there.  First I thought he was a thief.  After he got away I saw the Colonel and his daughter in the window.”

Instantly Captain Lige became excited, and seized Captain Grant by the cape of his overcoat.

“Say, Grant, what kind of appearing fellow was he?”

“Short, thick-set, blocky face.”

“I reckon I know,” said Breast, bringing down his fist on the wagon board; “I’ve had my eye on him for some little time.”

He walked around the block twice after Captain Grant had driven down the muddy street, before he composed himself to enter the Carvel mansion.  He paid no attention to the salutations of Jackson, the butler, who saw him coming and opened the door, but climbed the stairs to the sitting-room.

“Why, Captain Lige, you must have put wings on the Louisiana,” said Virginia, rising joyfully from the arm of her father’s chair to meet him.  “We had given you up.”

“What?” cried the Captain.  “Give me up?  Don’t you know better than that?  What, give me up when I never missed a birthday,—­and this the best of all of ’em.

“If your pa had got sight of me shovin’ in wood and cussin’ the pilot for slowin’ at the crossin’s, he’d never let you ride in my boat again.  Bill Jenks said:  ‘Are you plum crazy, Brent?  Look at them cressets.’  ’Five dollars’’ says I; ’wouldn’t go in for five hundred.  To-morrow’s Jinny Carvel’s birthday, and I’ve just got to be there.’  I reckon the time’s come when I’ve got to say Miss Jinny,” he added ruefully.

The Colonel rose, laughing, and hit the Captain on the back.

“Drat you, Lige, why don’t you kiss the girl?  Can’t you see she’s waiting?”

The honest Captain stole one glance at Virginia, and turned red copper color.

“Shucks, Colonel, I can’t be kissing her always.  What’ll her husband say?”

For an instant Mr. Carvel’s brow clouded.

“We’ll not talk of husbands yet awhile, Lige.”

Virginia went up to Captain Lige, deftly twisted into shape his black tie, and kissed him on the check.  How his face burned when she touched him.