"I should not be afraid of plain food," declared Helmford. "I was born on a farm. And I'd like to get board down this way. It's nearer my plant." "The place where you teach fish to hatch their aigs?" The young fellow laughed a little. "If you hear of a boarding place for me, Captain Hand----" The captain's eyes were twinkling. He was scrutinizing young Helmford much more sharply than appeared to be the case. "Ahem!" he said, clearing his throat reflectively. "Why don't you try Sarah?" "'Sarah'?" "Yep. My niece." "Mrs. Petty?" "That's who I mean. She ain't averse, I should say, to turning a penny. Try her." "Why, I will!" he exclaimed. "And thank you, Captain. I can go right in and see her now, can't I?" "I spect you can," said Cap'n Jonah. "There ain't no law again' it that I know on." Helmford laughed and started immediately up the lane. Where it debouched into the yard he came upon Pearl hanging out certain couch covers and hangings to air, this being sweeping day. Her head was tightly banded with a towel for a dustcap. The face under such a turban must be pretty indeed to attract favorable attention. "I beg pardon, Miss Holden," Helmford said, doffing his cap. "Can I see Mrs. Petty for a moment?" "I guess you can," said the girl, dimpling and showing marked approval of the young man. She had seen him at a distance often before; but Joseph Helmford had never seen her, for Pearl's face was usually hidden in public by a sun-bonnet. "Thank you," murmured he, and for once he did not appear to be blind. He bowed a second time. Pearl looked at him with shining eyes. Was he about to say something more? It would not be polite to run away before he had said all he wished to say. A harsh voice suddenly broke the thread between them: "You, Pearl! If that's a book agent tell him we don't want no books. If it's a missionary collector tell him we've subscribed already. If it's one o' them nursery stock salesmen, jest unloose the dog onto _him_." Helmford's eyes widened during this tirade. Then he began to smile. Pearl giggled faintly, and, turning, fled. "I'll splain to her," she whispered over her shoulder. Mrs. Petty came rampantly to the door. Her head was tied up in a towel, too--the universal sign of sweeping day on the Cape. "Can't you git rid----" "Sh!" gasped Pearl. "'Tain't a minister?" hissed Mrs. Petty. "No. It's Mr. Helmford, the fish man." "_Fish_ man?" demanded the woman, still raucously. "What do we want o' fish, I'd like to know? Can't your Uncle Orrin an' Tom git us all the fish we need?" "Oh, Miz Petty!" cried Pearl. "He is the government fish man, Mr. Helmford." "Oh!" Sarah Petty began to comprehend that possibly the well dressed man in the yard was not one to be chased back to the roadway as though he were pariah. She assumed a doubtful smirk and stepped out on the porch to blink near-sightedly at the caller.