“It's those confounded 'spirits' that are rocking the boat,” declared Nelson. “The old man practically said just that. He seems to have gotten over some of his bitterness against me--perhaps it is, as you say, Mr. Bangs, because I have a better position now and good prospects. Perhaps it is that, I don't know. But he still won't consider my marrying Lulie. He seems to realize that we could marry and that he couldn't stop us, but I think he realizes, too, that neither Lulie nor I would think of doing it against his will. 'But why, Cap'n Hallett?' I kept saying. 'WHY? What is the reason you are so down on me?' And all I could get out of him was the old stuff about 'revelations' and 'word from above' and all that. We didn't get much of anywhere. Oh, pshaw! Wouldn't it make you tired? Say, Mr. Bangs, the last time you and I talked you said you were going to 'consider' those Marietta Hoag spirits. I don't know what you meant, but if you could consider some sense into them and into Cap'n Jeth's stubborn old head, I wish you would.” Galusha smiled and said he would try. “I don't exactly know what I meant, myself, by considering them,” he admitted. “However, I--ah--doubtless meant something and I'll try and--ah--consider what it was. It seems to me that I had a vague thought--not an idea, exactly, but--Well, perhaps it will come back. I have had a number of--ah--distractions of late. They have caused me to forget the spirits. I'm very sorry, really. I must try now and reconsider the considering. Dear me, how involved I am getting! Never mind, we are going to win yet. Oh, I am sure of it.” The distractions to which he referred were, of course, the recent and mysterious machinations of Raish Pulcifer. And he was to be again distracted that very afternoon. For as, after parting with Howard, he was walking slowly along the main road, pondering deeply upon the problem presented by the love affair of his two young friends and its spirit complications, he was awakened from his reverie by a series of sharp clicks close at his ear. He started, looked up and about, and saw that he was directly opposite the business office of the great Horatio. He heard the clicks again and realized that they were caused by the tapping of the windowpane by a ring upon a masculine finger. The ring appeared to be--but was not--a mammoth pigeon-blood ruby and it ornamented, or set off, the hand of Mr. Pulcifer himself. Galusha stared uncomprehendingly at the hand and ring. Then the hand beckoned frantically. Mr. Bangs raised his eyes and saw, through the dingy pane, the face of the owner of the hand. The lower portion of the face was in eager motion. “Come in,” Mr. Pulcifer was whispering. “Come on in!” Galusha wonderingly entered the office. He had no desire for conversation with its proprietor, but he was curious to know what the latter wanted. “Ah--good-afternoon, Mr. Pulcifer,” he said.