It was not at all funny to Galusha. Nor strange. The light keeper tugged at his beard and his shaggy brows drew together. “I don't know's I did right to let go of that stock of mine, after all,” he said, slowly. “Don't know as I did, no.” Galusha asked him why. “Because I don't know as I did, that's all. If I'd hung on I might have got more for it. Looks to me as if Raish's crowd, whoever they are, are mighty anxious to buy. And the Denboro Trust Company folks might bid against 'em if 'twas necessary. They've got too much of that stock to let themselves be froze out. Humph!... Humph! I ain't sure as I did right.” “But--but you did get a profit, Captain Hallett. The profit you--ah--expected.” “Humph! I got a profit, but how do I know 'twas the profit Julia meant? I ought to have gone and asked her afore I sold, that's what I ought to have done, I cal'late.” He frowned heavily and added, in a tone of gloomy doubt: “I presume likely I've been neglectin' things--things like that, lately, and that's why punishments are laid onto me. I suppose likely that's it.” Galusha, of course, did not understand, but as the captain seemed to expect him to make some remark, he said: “Oh--ah--dear me! Indeed? Ah--punishments?” “Yes. I don't know what else they are. When your own flesh and blood--” He stopped in the middle of his sentence, sighed, and added: “Well, never mind. But I need counsel, Mr. Bangs, counsel.” Again Galusha scarcely knew what to say. “Why--ah--Captain Hallett,” he stammered, “I doubt if my advice would be worth much, really, but such as it is I assure you it--” Captain Jethro interrupted. “Counsel from this earth won't help me any, Mr. Bangs,” he declared. “It's higher counsel that I need. Um-hm, higher.” He walked away without saying more. Galusha wondered what had set him off upon that tack. That afternoon, while in the village, he met Nelson Howard and the latter furnished an explanation. It seemed that the young man had been to see Captain Jethro, had dared to call at the light with the deliberate intention of seeing and interviewing him on the subject of his daughter. The interview had not been long, nor as stormy as Nelson anticipated; but neither had it been satisfactory.