Sears was ruffled. The man always did rub him the wrong way, and now, for the first time, he heard him address Miss Berry by her Christian name. There was no real reason why he should not, almost every one in Bayport did, but Sears did not like it nevertheless. "You don't fancy interruptions, Captain," repeated the smiling Egbert. "Now do you? Ha, ha! Confess." For the moment Sears forgot to be diplomatic. "That depends, I guess," he answered shortly. "Depends? You see, I told you, Elizabeth. Depends upon what? We must make him tell us the whole truth, mustn't we, Elizabeth? What does it depend upon, Captain Kendrick; the--ah--situation--the nature of the business--or the companion? Now which? Ha, ha!" Sears answered without taking time to consider. "Upon who interrupts, maybe," he snapped. Then he would have given something to have recalled the words, for Elizabeth turned and looked at him. She flushed. Egbert's serenity, however, was quite undented. "Oh, dear me!" he exclaimed, in mock alarm. "After that I shall _have_ to go. And I shall take great pains to close the door behind me. Ha, ha! _Au revoir_, Elizabeth. Good-by, Captain." He went out, keeping his promise concerning the closing of the door. Elizabeth continued to look at her companion. "Now why in the world," she asked, "did you speak to him like that?" Sears frowned. "Oh, I don't know," he answered. "He--he riles me sometimes." "Yes.... Yes, I should judge so. I have noticed it before. You don't like him for some reason or other. What is the reason?" He hesitated. Aside from Judge Knowles' distrust and dislike--which he could not mention to her--there was no very valid reason, nothing but what she would have called prejudice. So he hesitated and reddened. She went on. "_I_ like him," she declared. "He is a gentleman. He is always polite and considerate--as he was just now about breaking in on our business talk. What did you dislike about that?" "Well, I--well--oh, nothin', perhaps." "I think nothing certainly. He is an old friend of mother's and of the people here in the Harbor. They all like him very much. I am sorry that you don't and that you spoke to him as you did. I didn't think you took unreasonable dislikes. It doesn't seem like you, Cap'n Kendrick." So once more Sears felt himself to have been put in a bad position and to have lost ground while Phillips gained it. And, brooding over the affair, he decided that he must be more careful. If he were not so much in Elizabeth's company there would be no opportunity for insinuations--by Egbert Phillips, or any one else. So he put a strong check upon his inclination to see the young woman, and, overconscientious as he was so likely to be, began almost to avoid her. Except when business of one kind or another made it necessary he did not visit the Harbor. It cost him many pangs and made him miserable, but he stuck to his resolution. She should not be talked about in connection with him if he could help it.