“Well, I s'pose you know. But Frank will be along for you right after supper, anyhow.” Hunch walked quickly away. He was excited, and before returning to the schooner he strode a few blocks away from the river. He did not want his men to see him until he could get control of himself. After supper he got out his good clothes and brushed them carefully. When young Banks drove down on the wharf and called to one of the men forward, Hunch was standing before his square tilted mirror, giving a last twist to his hair. [Illustration: 0188] Mr. and Mrs. Banks were cordial. Mamie came in a little later, and Hunch was surprised to see how pretty she was. She had more flesh and color and her eyes were brighter. She acted as if nothing had happened, and before long Hunch was made to feel at home. When he rose to go, Mr. Banks took his hat and followed him out, and Mamie looked a little conscious when she said “Goodnight.” “You won't mind my telling you something, will you, Badeau?” said Banks, when they were on the side-walk. “I couldn't help seeing to-day that you didn't want to come around, and I------” “Oh, it ain't that------” “Hold on, now. I know just what it is. I ain't lived longer 'n you have for nothing. I see how you feel, and I just want you to know that we feel different. Of course, there's some things does make a difference, some kind of things--there's no getting around that--but all the same, we ain't holding anything against you. I'll tell you, Badeau--and I ain't ashamed to say it--when I found out how you'd been keeping my girl alive when I weren't man enough to do it myself, I--why--dam' it, man, I want to shake hands with you, right now.” “Why,” said Hunch, when Banks had released his hand, “that ain't so. I------” “Now, you don't fool me. I know about it. Joe Cartier, he told me some of it, and Jim Bartlett and--by the way, there's a good friend of yours. He and Jess ain't never got over the way they treated you. Lord knows they'd be glad enough to crawl if you'd give 'em the chance. She's a good girl, too. Made a mistake when she threw you down, but she's suffered enough for that.” They walked for more than a block in silence. Finally Banks said, “Look here, Badeau; you can't go to-morrow. You just can't do it. You plan to get away the next morning, and come up tomorrow and set around, and we'll try to have a good time. Just to show that there ain't no hard feelings anywheres, and you can forget us if you want to, but you've got to put in one more evening, anyhow. Sometimes--sometimes I wonder if 't ain't all just as well. Bruce, he wouldn't have--well, it wasn't your fault, anyhow.” When they parted a block further down the street, Banks said, “Mebbe we'll have a little surprise for you when you come to-morrow night. I can't say for sure, but it's more'n likely. And mebbe you won't be sorry you come.”