It was really hard when she was in his presence to think of him as an audacious prevaricator--and perhaps worse. He was so kindly in his manner and speech to her. His brisk consideration for her comfort at all times--his wistful glances for Jerry, the ancient canary, and the tenderness he showed the bird--even his desire to placate Diddimus, the tortoise-shell cat--all these things withstood the growing ill-opinion being fostered in Louise Grayling's mind. Who and what was this mysterious person calling himself Cap'n Amazon Silt? She had, too, a desire to know just how many of those weird stories he told were filched from Cap'n Abe's accumulation of nautical literature. When Cap'n Amazon had gained access to the chest of books Louise could not imagine; but the fact remained that he had at least two of the stories pat. Louise had promised to spend the evening at the Perritons, and did so; but she returned to Cap'n Abe's store early and did not invite her escort in, although he was a youth eager to taste the novelty of being intimate with "one of these old Cape Codders," as he expressed it. "No," she told young Malcolm Standish firmly. "Uncle Amazon is not to be made a peepshow of by the idle rich of The Beaches. Besides, from your own name, you should be a descendant of Miles Standish, and blood relation to these Cape Codders yourself. And Uncle Amazon and Uncle Abram are fine old gentlemen." She said it boldly, whether she could believe it about Cap'n Amazon or not. "I will not play showman." "Oh, say! Ford Tapp comes here. I saw his car standing outside the other evening." "Mr. Tapp," Louise explained calmly, "comes in the right spirit. He is a friend of the--ahem--family. He is well known to Cap'n Abe who owns the store and has made himself acquainted with Cap'n Amazon over the counter." "And how has he made himself so solid with you, Miss Grayling?" Standish asked impudently. "By his gentlemanly behavior, and because he knows a deal more about boat-sailing and the shores than I know," she retorted demurely. "Leave it to me!" exclaimed Malcolm Standish. "I am going to learn navigation and fishology at once." "But--don't you think you may be too late?" she asked him, running up the steps. "Good-night, Mr. Standish!" Upon going indoors she did not find Cap'n Amazon. The lamp was burning in the living-room, but he was not there and the store was dark. Louise mounted the stairs, rather glad of his absence; but when she came to the top of the flight she saw the lamplight streaming through the open door of her uncle's bedroom. Diddimus, with waving tail, was just advancing into the "cabin," as Cap'n Amazon called the chamber he occupied. Knowing that he particularly objected to having any of his possessions disturbed, and fearing that Diddimus might do some mischief there, Louise followed the tortoise-shell, calling to him: