Not until the fish had been laid out on the rocks ready for cleaning, and the boat properly cared for, did the keeper speak, and then he told the whole story to his assistant, concluding by saying: "The master of that 'ere craft ought'er lose his certificate, an' spend the rest of his nat'ral life in jail, to prevent him from doin' mischief. The idee of cruisin' 'round here without knowin' where this light was!" "Most like he got mixed up by the fog, an' was goin' it blind," Mr. Peters suggested so calmly that Captain Eph really lost his temper, and cried angrily: "If you don't hold your tongue, Sammy, I shall begin to think you're almost as big a fool as the cap'n of that 'ere steamer!" and having thus apparently relieved his mind, the keeper marched stiffly toward the tower. "Chafin' under the collar, eh, lad?" Mr. Peters said with a smile, to Sidney. "I allow he's had reason to get riled, an' it did him a whole lot of good to blow off on me. Wa'al, I'm glad I gave him the chance, for it didn't hurt a little bit, an' he'll feel a heap better." Then Mr. Peters turned his attention once more to the work in hand, and Sidney was doubtful as to whether he should follow the keeper, or remain where he was, until Uncle Zenas came out of the tower, saying as he approached the lad: "That 'ere fool steamer has riled Cap'n Eph so bad that I don't reckon there's any chance he'll raise his hand towards cleanin' these fish, an' the whole brunt of the work falls on me, as it allers does. Come with me, Sonny, if you've got nothin' better to do, an' I don't reckon you have, 'cause there's precious little goin' on 'round here, 'cept when the inspector comes." "How often does he visit you?" Sidney asked, thinking it necessary to do something toward starting a conversation. "He makes a reg'lar inspection of every blessed thing four times a year, an' sometimes the tender comes oftener to pay us off; but we can't really count on that last." "Don't you ever go to the mainland on a vacation?" "Oh, bless you, yes, every once in a while. I was off three years ago last July, an' the year before that Cap'n Eph went; but Sammy sticks here pretty close. He allows that it makes a man flighty to go gallivantin' 'round as much as I do, but I tell him he's so flighty already that he couldn't well be any worse." "Could you go oftener if you wanted to?" "Bless you, lad, yes, so long as two were left behind to look after the light; but 'cordin' to my idee we're away as much as is good for us." "Don't you ever get lonesome, especially in the winter, when no one can land on the ledge?" Sidney asked, and Uncle Zenas replied as if in surprise.