"But he can't nail 'em to the rocks, an' whatever he puts up there will be carried away by the first wave that breaks over the ledge!" Mr. Peters certainly was acting in a very peculiar manner. He had in his arms five or six strips of boards or planks, which had the appearance of having been washed up from some wreck, and was striding to and fro, evidently trying to find some place where he could place them in a sort of frame-work, for, during the short time Captain Eph and Sidney watched from the window, he made two unsuccessful attempts to secure them in an upright position. The old keeper watched his first assistant narrowly for some time, evidently losing a tiny bit of his temper each moment, and presently it was impossible for him to remain silent any longer: "I ain't so certain but that we'll have to set about makin' a straight-jacket for Sammy, an' we sha'n't have much more'n time to do it before the lamp must be lighted. Come down with me, an' we'll try to soothe him a little. I thought he acted queer about that stuff he bought, an' most likely this spell was jest comin' on." Sidney was not prepared to believe that the first assistant had become insane so suddenly; but he followed the keeper down the narrow stairs, eager to hear what explanation Mr. Peters might give for his peculiar behavior. When the lad entered the kitchen he saw Uncle Zenas standing in the open door leading to the outside ladder, looking out as if in greatest alarm. "Have you seen Sammy?" he asked in a whisper, and with such a comical expression of fear on his face that Sidney was forced to laugh outright. "You don't seem to think there's anything the matter with him," Uncle Zenas said reproachfully. "That's because you don't know Sammy very well. In all the years I've lived on this 'ere ledge, I never saw him cuttin' up any sich capers as he's flingin' now." "It looks to me as if he was hunting for a chance to build something, sir. I can't see that he is acting very queerly." "It's queer for him to be runnin' 'round so when there's no need of it," Captain Eph interrupted. "Sammy don't like work overly well, an' I never saw him do any more than he could help. I'm goin' to know what's the matter, though." Then the keeper, while descending the ladder, called softly, as if afraid of frightening his first assistant: "Hello, Sammy, what seems to be the matter with you?" "With me?" Mr. Peters repeated in astonishment. "What made you think there was anything wrong?" "What are you runnin' 'round so after?" "An' why shouldn't I, if the notion strikes me? Are you afraid I'll do any harm to the rocks?" "Now don't get excited, Sammy; but it kind'er bothers Uncle Zenas an' me to see you runnin' around as if you'd lost your head." "Don't look, an' then you won't feel so bad," the first assistant said sharply, as once more he attempted to fasten the strips of board in an upright position, and Captain Eph asked impatiently: