“Hurrah!” shouted the committee, its uninvited guests and the accompanying crowd of Bayport men and boys which had gathered to assist in the welcome. “Hurrah!” “Hooray!” yelled Kyan, a little behind, as usual. A passenger or two peered from the coach window. The stage driver ironically touched his cap. “Thank ye,” he said. “Thank ye very much. I've been hopin' for this for a long time, though I'd about given up expectin' it. I'm very much obliged. Won't somebody please ask me to make a speech?” Captain Elkanah frowned his disapproval. “We are cheering Cap'n Nathaniel Hammond of Trumet,” he explained haughtily. “We are here to meet him and escort him home.” The driver sighed. “You don't say,” he said. “And I thought my merits had been recognized at last. And 'twas all for Cap'n Hammond? Dear! dear!” He winked at Simmons, who wanted to laugh, but did not dare. “Come! come!” said Captain Elkanah. “Where is he? Where's Cap'n Hammond?” “Well, now, I'll tell ye; I don't know where he is.” “You DON'T? Isn't he with you?” “No, he ain't. And he didn't come on the train, nuther. He WAS on it. The conductor told me he see him and set along with him between stations as fur as Cohasset Narrows. But after that he never see hide nor hair of him. Oh, that's so! Here's the mail bag, Ezry.” Captain Elkanah looked at the reception committee and it looked at him. Here was a most disconcerting setback for all the plans. The committee, after asking more, and fruitless questions, went into executive session. Captain Zeb stepped beside the stage and put one foot on the wheel. “Say, Thad,” he whispered, “is that all you know? Where did he go to?” “Can't tell you, cap'n. The conductor says he see him afore they got to Cohasset Narrows and not after. Naturally, we s'pose he got off there. Pretty good joke on old Daniels, I call it. Serve him right, figgerin' to take a passenger away from me. He, he!” “But you do know more, now don't you? Tell a feller--come! I don't like Elkanah any better'n you do.” “Well,” the driver's voice dropped still lower. “Well,” he whispered, “I did hear this much, though don't you tell none of them: A chap I know was on the train and he said he see Cap'n Nat get off the cars at the Cohasset Narrows depot and there was a woman with him.” “A woman? A WOMAN? What woman?” “Blessed if I know! And he didn't nuther. So long! Git dap!”