"Ask? Who said anything about askin'? I want you to tell 'em I say for them to come here. It's an order, and you can tell 'em so, if you want to." Mrs. Tidditt gasped again. "Well!" she exclaimed. "Well, my good lordy, if this ain't---- A-ll right, _I'll_ tell 'em." She hastened down the corridor. Elizabeth ventured a faint protest. "But, Cap'n Kendrick--" she began. He stopped her. "It is all right, Miss Elizabeth," he said. "I'm handlin' this matter now. All you've got to do is look on.... Well, are they comin' or must I go after 'em?" Apparently he had forgotten that his lameness made going anywhere a slow proceeding. As a matter of fact he had. He had forgotten everything except the business of the moment and the joy of being once more in supreme command. The message borne by Mrs. Tidditt had, presumably, been delivered. The messenger had left the dining room door open and through it came a tremendous rattle of tongues. Obviously the captain's order had created a sensation. Elizabeth listened. "Well?" repeated Sears, again. "Are they goin' to come?" Miss Berry smiled faintly. "I think they will come," she answered. "If they are as--as curious as I am they will." They were. At any rate they came. Miss Snowden, Mrs. Brackett and Mrs. Chase in the lead, the others following. Mrs. Tidditt brought up the rear, marshaling the stragglers, as it were. Elvira was, of course, the spokeswoman. She was the incarnation of dignified and somewhat resentful surprise. "We have been told," she began, loftily, "we have been _told_, Cap'n Kendrick, that you wished to speak to us. We can't imagine why, but we have came--come, I should say. _Do_ you wish to speak to us?" Kendrick nodded. "Yes," he said crisply, "I do. I want to tell you that you mustn't go to Judge Knowles about buyin' those iron statues of Cap'n Seth's or about anything else. He is sick and mustn't be worried. Miss Berry says so, and I agree with her." He paused From the committee came a gasp, or concert of gasps and muttered exclamations, indicating astonishment. Elvira voiced the feeling. "You agree with her!" she exclaimed. "_You_ agree? Why--I never did!" "Yes. And I agree with her, too, about buyin' those--er--lions and dogs and--hogs, or whatever they are. I don't say they aren't worth seventy-five dollars or more--or less--I don't know. But I do say that, until I have had time to look into things aboard here, I don't want any money spent except for stores and other necessities. There isn't a bit of personal feelin' in this, you must understand, it is business, that's all."