He meant Minnie Arkell, who was standing in the doorway with her eyes fixed on O'Donnell, who had got up to go home, but with Wesley trying to hold him back. He was to the door when Minnie Arkell stopped him. She said she had heard him singing over to her house and couldn't keep away, and then, with a smile and a look into his eyes, she asked O'Donnell what was his hurry--and didn't he remember her? In her suit of yachting blue, with glowing face and tumbled hair, she was a picture. "Look at her," nudged Clancy--"isn't she a corker? But she's wasting time on Tom O'Donnell." "What's your hurry, Tom?" called Wesley. "Another song." "No, no, it's the little woman on the hill. She knew I was to come down to-night and not a wink of sleep will she get till I'm home. And she knows there'll be bad work to-morrow maybe and she'd like to see me a little before I go, and I'd like to see her, too." "She's a lucky woman, Captain O'Donnell, and you must think a lot of her?" Minnie Arkell had caught his eye once more. "I don't know that she's so awfully lucky with me on her hands," laughed O'Donnell, "but I do think a lot of her, child." "Child? to me? But you don't remember me, Captain?" "Indeed, and I do, and well remember you. And it's the beautiful woman you've grown to be. But you always were a lovely child. It's often my wife spoke of you and wondered how you were. She's heard me speak of your father a hundred times, I know. A brave man your father, girl. And she'll be glad to see you any time, little girl--or the daughter of any fisherman lost at sea. If ever you have a blue day, go to her, for 'tis she has the heart--and, God bless her, an extra weakness for orphans. Her own children some day--there's no telling. But good-night to you, dear"--he patted her head--"good-night all. Wesley, Tommie, Patsie--all of ye, good-night. In the morning we'll have it out." Out the door he went, and I fancied there was almost a blush on Minnie Arkell's face. Tom O'Donnell was the kind of a man a fellow would like to have for a father. XXIX MAURICE BLAKE COMES HOME From Mrs. Arkell's we walked back to Clancy's boarding house. Clancy wanted to see how they made out with the punch. We found several of them up in the wind, and so no great danger of them. But two or three of them, Dave Campbell particularly, were running wild. "Boomed out and driving," said Clancy, and began to remonstrate with Dave on the evils of intemperance. He went on quite awhile, but Dave showed no signs of remorse. "Wait and I'll fix him," said Clancy, and obeying a motioning with his head two or three of the sober ones followed him out.