"Is Captain Shivernock at home?" asked the young man, trying to appear indifferent, for he wanted to get as much information in regard to the strange man's movements during the last twenty-four hours as possible. "No, he is not," replied Sykes, who to some extent aped the manners of his eccentric employer. "Not at home!" exclaimed Donald, who had not expected this answer, though he had not found his own boat at her moorings on his return from the excursion with the fleet. "Are you deaf, young man?" "No, sir; not at all." "Then you heard me say he was not at home," growled Sykes. "I want to see him very much. Will he be long away?" asked Donald. "I can't tell you. He won't come back till he gets ready, if it isn't for a month." "Of course not; but I should like to know when I can probably see him." "You can probably see him when he comes home. He started in his boat for Vinal Haven early this morning." "This morning?" repeated Donald, who wished to be sure on this point. "Didn't I say so? This morning. He comes back when he pleases." "When do you expect him?" "I don't expect him. I never expect him. He may be home in five minutes, in five days, or five weeks." "At what time this morning did he go?" "He left the house at five minutes after four this morning, the last that ever was. I looked at my watch when he went out at the gate; for I was thinking whether or no his boat wasn't aground. Do you want to know what he had for breakfast? If you do, you must ask my wife, for I don't know," growled Sykes. "I am very anxious to see him," continued Donald, without heeding the sulky tones and manner of the man. "Perhaps he told Mrs. Sykes when he should return." "Perhaps he did, and perhaps he told her how much money he had in his pocket. He was as likely to tell her one as the other. You can ask her," sneered Sykes. As the housekeeper sat on the piazza enjoying the cool evening breeze, Donald decided to avail himself of this permission, for he desired to know how well the two stories would agree. He saluted the lady, who gave him a pleasanter reception than her bearish husband had accorded to him. "Mr. Sykes told me that Captain Shivernock was away from home," said Donald. "Can you tell me when he is likely to return?" "He intended to come back to-night if the wind favored him. He went to Vinal Haven early this morning, and as you are a sailor, you can tell better than I whether he is likely to return to-night," replied Mrs. Sykes. "The wind is fair, and there is plenty of it," added Donald. "What time did he leave?" "About four o'clock. I gave him his coffee at half past three, and it must have been about four when he went away."