Captain January

passed by the wharf stopping to buy one or two. Now the red dory was empty, and the Captain had washed her out with his usu

wner of the voice, a sturdy man in a blue coat with brass buttons, came

eated. "I haven't see

Captain January. "Hearty, that's wh

your light. And the little gal, she's well, I expect? She looks a picture, when I take a squint a

world, o' health, and pootiness, and goodness, it's that child. It's that little un

ly the other day. Seems as if she'd oughter be round with other children now, and learning what they do. Mis Nazro would be real pleased to have her stop with us

and pinafores, as is a great help. But I can't feel to let her out o' my sight, nohow; and as for school, she ain't the kind to bear it, nor yet I couldn't for her.

! and teach her yourself do

d learns out o' the two best books in the world,-the Bible, and William S

nd then he broke off in sheer amazemen

. There's a dictionary, too," he added, rather sadly; "but I can't mak

tle un'll be lookin' for me. Good day, sir, and thank ye kindly, all the same as if it was to be, which it ain't

in. "January's cracked," he said; "that's what's the matter with him. He's a good man, and a g

rises the lighthouse, rugged and sturdy as the rocks themselves, but painted white, and with its windows shining like great, smooth diamonds. This is Light Island; and it was in this direction that Captain January's red dory was headed when he took his leave of his brother-captain, and rowed away from the wharf. It was a long pull; in fact, it took pretty nearly the whole afternoon, so that the evening shadows were lengthening when at length he laid down his oars, and felt the boat's nose rub against the sand of the little home-cove. But rowing was no more effort than breathing to Capt

e absolutely white, as white as the foam that broke over the rocks at the cliff's foot. His face was tanned and weather-beaten to the colour of mahogany, but the features were strong and sharply cut, while the piercing blue eyes which gleamed beneath his shaggy eyebrows showed all the fire of youth, and seemed to have

asant little fire crackling sociably on the hearth. The table was laid with a clean white cloth, the kettle was singing on the hob, and a little covered saucepan was simmering with an agreeable and suggestive sound; but no one was to be seen. Alarmed,

childish voice from above; "I'm comin

began leisurely pulling off his great boots. One was already off and in his hand, when a slight noise made him loo

ve to call violet. Wonderful eyes, shaded by long, curved lashes of deepest black, which fell on the soft, rose-and-ivory tinted cheek, as the child carefully picked her way down, holding up her long dress from her little feet. It was the dress which so astonished Captain January. Instead of the pink calico frock and blue checked pinafore, to which his eyes were accustomed, the little figure was clad in a robe of dark green velvet with a long train, whic

o to say, exactly night,-'like a rich jewel in a nigger's ear.' No! that ain't right. 'Nigger' ain't right, 'Ethiop's ear, 'that's it! Tho

n safety, and dropping the folds of the velvet about her, made a quaint littl

u amazin'. A-mazin' I like you, my dear! but it is what you might call surprisin', to leave a little maid in a blue pinafore, and to

her hands, and laughing with pleasure. "Have you ever se

te to an Indiaman. And she wa'n't like you, Peach Blossom, no more than Hyperion to a Satyr, and that kind o' thing

other clothes?"

haritably. "Anyhow, not speakin' her language, I didn't ask her. And s

nd, Daddy. I meant the kind who live in fretted palaces, with music in

kly. "And I'm sorry I hain't-I mean I ain't-got no fretted palace for my pr

wouldn't live in a palace if there were fifty of them all set in a row. So there now!" She folded her arms and looked defiantly at the old man, who returned

ted herself comfortably on his knee,

e saucepan, which was fairly lifting its lid in its eagerness t

s stewed kidneys, too! But oh! my dress!" and she glanced down at

hair. "Sit you there, and be a real princess, and I will be your steward, and get supper this

sily in the great chair, arranged her train with a g

n the air, and pointing hither and thither with her tiny hands. "Take up the golden chafing-dish, Grumio!" she cried. "The kidneys-I mean the

pan, and soon the frugal supper was set out, and p

you about," said the Princess, thoughtfully. "You o

me a foolish thing to say, anyhow: no disrespect to W. Shakespeare. The hull of the word's 'anonymous,' I believe, and the dict

ss, tossing her head. "I don't li

aptain, with servile alacrity. "Ha

romptly, holding out her small yellow mug wit

are, to be sure, and me not knowin' to this day what capons was. A lit

geon pies just now," remarked the Princess, judiciously. "Do y

aptain, bowing with great humility. "I beg your honou

sudden violence of her embrace. "You shall call me pigeon pie, and anything else you like. You shall call me

, and set the half-weeping child back in her place. "There, th

. "You haven't said it to-day, and

ute of time, as well you know. But you are my delicate Ariel, so you are, and there ain't nothin' in the hull book as suits you bett

been doin' all the time I was

aptain's buttonhole. "Well," she said, "I've had a very interesting time, Daddy Captain. First I cl

play Samson?" inq

' The flies were the Philistines, and I took a clam-shell for the jaw-bone; it did just as well. And I made a song out of it

aptain dryly. "Well, Honeys

Patience on the doorstep. And suddenly, Daddy Captain, I thought about those boxes of clothes, and how you said they would be mine when I was big. And I measured myself against the doorpost, and found that I was very big. I thought I

gravely, and pulled

d went on, eagerly. "Do you think she looked like me w

ditatively; but Star ran on

because she was dead. You are quite very positi

der, not if you'd sarched for a week. Why, door nails, and Julius Caesar, and things o' that description

laying her head against the old man's shoulder, and curling one arm about his neck, "I think I should

p, you know the story by heart, better'n I do, I believe. 'Pears to me I've told

ith an imperious gesture. "That ma

m! But first I must light up, ye know. One star inside the old house, and the other atop of it: that's what makes Lig