"Besides, I shouldn't be any help," he added. "I can't sing a note." Miss Snowden would have uttered some genteel protest, but Mrs. Tidditt spoke first. "Humph! _That_ won't make any difference," she announced. "Neither can any of the rest of us--not the right notes." Possibly Elvira, or Susanna, might have retorted. The former looked as if she were about to, but Mrs. Aurora Chase came forward. "And it wasn't more'n ha'f past six neither," she declared with conviction. Just why or when it was half past six, or what had happened at that time, or what fragment of conversation Aurora's impaired hearing had caught which led her to think this happening was being discussed, the captain was destined never to learn. For at that instant Miss Berry came into the room, entering from the hall. "Who is it?" she asked. "Why, good evening, Cap'n Kendrick." She was what two thirds of Bayport would have called "dressed up." That is to say, she was wearing a simple afternoon gown instead of the workaday garb in which he had been accustomed to seeing her. It was becoming, even at the first glance he was sure of that. "Good evening, Cap'n Kendrick," she said, again. "I wasn't expecting you this evening. Is anything the matter?" "Oh no, no! I just ran over for a minute. I--um--yes, that's all." He scarcely knew how to explain his errand. He had referred to it as a matter of business, but it was scarcely that. And he could not explain it at all in the presence of the guests, each one so obviously eager to have him do so. "I just ran in," he repeated. She looked a little puzzled, and it seemed to him that she hesitated, momentarily. Then-- "Won't you come into the parlor?" she asked. Was it the captain's imagination, or did Elvira and Susanna and Desire and the rest--except Aurora, of course, who had not heard--cast significant looks at each other? It seemed to him that they did, but why? A moment later he understood. "Come right in, Cap'n," she urged. "George is here, but you know him, of course." They had walked the length of the hall and were almost at the door when she made this announcement. He paused. "George?" he repeated. "Why, yes, George Kent. But that doesn't make a bit of difference. Come in." "But, Miss Elizabeth, I didn't realize you had company. I----" "No, no. Stop, Cap'n Kendrick. George isn't company. He is--just George. Come in." So he went in and George Kent, tall and boyish and good looking, rose to shake hands. He appeared very much at home in that parlor, more so than Sears Kendrick did just then. The latter knew young Kent well, of course, had met him first at Sarah Macomber's and had, during his slow convalescence there, learned to like him. They had not seen much of each other since the captain became Judah Cahoon's lodger, although Kent had dropped in once for a short call.