(PHUS, _who has been examining_ J. Q. A.’S _basket, attracted by the peanuts, puts his hand in his pocket for money to buy some, and, feeling a letter there, draws it forth_.) PHUS. Golly, I forgets dat let’! Mis’! mis’! here’s a let’; seems it mus’ be dat licens’. Yes! see dis great t’ing on it, big as a hoe-cake and red as a ’simmon. MARY (_eagerly_). Give it to me! (_Breaks the seal and hastily reads._) NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 8, 1884. MRS. MARY MILLER: Dear madam, I take great pleasure in forwarding to you a captain’s license, for a Mississippi steamboat, granted according to the decision of Secretary Folger, under Section 4439 of the Revised Statutes of the United States. Very Respectfully, DANIEL DUMONT. Supervising Inspector-General. (MARY _bursts into tears, and sits down_.) PHUS. Is it, mis’? Is it de licens’? MARY (_rising proudly, and holding it out_). Yes, it is my license; and I am Captain Mary Miller! (_Hands paper to_ CAPT. G.) HANK. Hurrah! Three cheers for Captain Mary Miller! J. Q. A. And a Tiger-r-r-rrr! (PATSY _looks in, then enters and listens_). CAPT. G. I thought Charles J. Folger ’d hev the rights on’t. MRS. G. Them Folgers could allus be depended on to do the right thing; believed in ekality from the beginnin’. Old Ben Franklin was one on ’em, and Lucreshy Mott. They ain’t a bit like some o’ them Nantucket Halletts—allus on the wrong side of ekality. PHUS. Lor’ bress Cap’n Mary Miller, cap’n of de Keyhole’s Bride. (_Seizes his banjo, sings uproariously, and dances about._) Bress de men at Washington,—’Lijah cum down, Dat made a woman cap’n,—’Lijah cum down. But bress above dem all,—’Lijah cum down. Good Seketelly Folger,—’Lijah cum down. May de charyott ob Erlijah swing him softly up to (_Slower_) Heben, An’ Mary Miller’s blessin’ be his eberlastin’ crown. MRS. G. (_to him, aside_). You go’n see ef he ain’t a-comin’. I can’t hold in much longer. (_Exit_ PHUS, R.) PATSY. Faix, mum, I’ll shthay wid ye as lang as ye varnt. MARY. But, Patsy, if you do stay, you must expect to obey orders. PATSY. For sure, mum; I shpects to ’bey a raal laycensed cap’n. (_Goes to wheel and sits by it._) MARY. And now I am captain of my own vessel in name as well as in reality. God bless Secretary Folger! He has saved us from want, protected our little home, and given a woman the right to be captain of her own boat. If William were only here! PHUS (_entering in great excitement_). Oh, mis’! here’s de biggest s’prise in de worl’! (_Beckoning._) Dis way! Dis way! (_Enter_ CAPTAIN MILLER, L. _All rise._) CAPT. M. Mary! MARY. My dear William! I knew you would come back! (_Embraces him._) CAPT. M. Of course, my darling wife. Why shouldn’t I come back? MARY. Why, the papers said your vessel had drifted from the rest, and—