"Uncle Zenas is so he can 'tend to the cookin' all right, sir; but he can't amble 'round very lively. Cap'n Eph is likely to be lame quite a spell yet." "Who is the stranger in the doorway?" and the inspector looked curiously toward the tower. "He's a sailor we picked up day before yesterday, sir; drifted here in a dory." "Been doing more work as life-savers, have you?" the inspector asked in such a kindly tone that Sidney decided he had not come out to find fault. By this time the officer had stepped ashore and was going toward the tower; but, observing that Mr. Peters remained behind, he called: "I want to see you and Captain Downs together, Mr. Peters, and we may as well attend to the Department's business first. Come in, please." "Now there _is_ trouble brewin'," Mr. Peters whispered to Sidney, "an' it must be mighty serious, for this is the first time the inspector ever wanted me around when he was overhaulin' Cap'n Eph's accounts." [Illustration: MATINICUS.] "He looks too friendly to be very fierce," Sidney replied, and the first assistant muttered: "You can't allers tell by the look of a cat how far she'll jump. I'd rather have a man come at me hammer an' tongs, than be so terrible pleasant when he's gettin' ready to read the riot act." When Mr. Peters and Sidney entered the kitchen the inspector was questioning Uncle Zenas as to how he had been injured, and the second assistant soon told the whole story, very briefly. "I suppose Captain Downs is in his room," the inspector finally said. "We'll go there, and if it is possible for you to get up-stairs far enough to hear what is said, Mr. Stubbs, I shall be glad to have you do so." "He's goin' to give all hands a wiggin'," Mr. Peters whispered, and Sidney felt strongly inclined to laugh outright, so comical was the expression of fear on the first assistant's face. The crew of Cary's Ledge light was not long kept in suspense as to the reason for the inspector's visit. After assuring himself, by personal examination, that the keeper's injured limb had been attended to in a proper manner, he said abruptly as he took rather a bulky package from his pocket: "Captain Nutter of the _Nautilus_ reported to the Department, through me, that you two men, at great peril to yourselves, saved the lives of three of his crew and himself, all of whom would have unquestionably been drowned but for your heroic exertions. The Light-House Board has instructed me to say that they are proud to have such men in the service, and I have here a letter of commendation. The Treasury Department has sent these two gold medals on which are inscribed your names and the service rendered, in token that the Government holds you in especial esteem as brave men--such men as are needed in the light-house service."