Flood Tide

the next morning when Celestina went down stairs, she found the jaded inventor s

dy?" she asked, as if unconsci

y was a

built, too," went on Cele

giving her a vagu

t was of you to start it up."

red. "I might have, though, as well

r. "I've plenty of time to lay it myself. 'Twas only that when I saw you

ty with thought. "But I warn't noticin' there

p. How characteristi

s. "The kitchen will be warm as toast in no time. An' I'll make you some hot coffee straight away. Tha

ain thoroughfare and obstructing the path between the pantry and the oven. As it was he failed to grasp the circumstance, and not wishing to disturb him, Celestina patiently circled before, behind and around him in her successive pilgrimages to the stove. Such situations were exigencies to which she was qu

e, starting up

?" called Celestin

en door sprung o

n't bur

ed Willie. "Why didn't you tell m

rn't in

persisted. "You should 'a' sh

h a comfortable yawn, he rose

that pump; an' you had no dinner either, thanks to Zenas Henry's pump. You're goin' to start this day right. You're to have three square meals if I have to tag you all over

d his mentor g

, I reckon it will have to content itself fur quite

d eat your three good meals like other Christians. Next you know you'll be gettin' run down, an' I'll be havin' to brew some dandelion bitters for you." She came to an abrupt stop half-way between the oven

est trembled on

ny bitters, Celestina," h

to sharpness as she was capable of. "However, there's no call to discuss that now.

ry spoonful of food he put to his lips, inwardly gloating as one muffin after another disappeared; and when a

an," she remarked, as she began to clear away the dishes.

ediately avail himself of it but instead lingered

d by the front door and miss the screen don't be scared an'

door?" gaspe

es

was new this Spring; the

e calm answer. "Tha

got nettin' over a

ldn't

did she had herself well in hand, and every

d, "so I guess no harm's done. It's a full year since anybody's c

und cut short

?" exclaimed

s a

a bell like tha

ere gone to the Junction," exclaimed Willie

did

r now," he went

eant

t?" demande

l, that's what it is," proclaimed the invent

Nantucket. What set you gettin' a bell that size, Willie? 'Twould scare any caller who dared to come this way out of a year's grow

hurried through the passageway

and the door was at liberty to move, not knowing what to do with its unaccustomed freedom it refused to stir, stubbornly resisting every attempt to wrench its hinges asunder. It was not until the man and woman insi

isitor had come into his manhood recently, for the brown eyes were alight with youthful humor and the shoulders unbowed by the burdens of the world. He

sked, smiling at Celestina thr

seudonym that for the instant she was compelled to stop and consi

at last adm

t speak with her,"

u're Miss Morton," coached

on the ste

, are you?" he essayed,

," owned Celes

ther Elnathan

ed weakly agains

ated. "Bless my soul!

t before Celestina or Willie were conscious of it they had

t, "'cause this blasted door ain't moved fur so long that its hinges have growed toge

odded and d

! I can't get over it! Nate's boy! Nate was my favorite brother, you know-the littlest one, that I brought up from babyhood. This lad is so comp

agerness she sped

amid the network that ensnared him as if such astounding phenomena were everyday happenings. Nevertheless, a close observer might have detected in his hazel eyes a dancing gleam that defied control. Apparently it did not occur either to Willie or to Celestina

would have made an effort to like the newcomer. Fortunately, however, effort was unnecessary, for Bob won his way quite as uncontestedly with the little inventor as with Celestina. There w

My, if you're not the mortal image of him as he used to be at your age! I can scarcely believe it isn't Nate. His forehead was high like yours, an' the hair

nches, Aunt Tiny,"

you must sit right down an' tell me all about yourself an' your folks. I want to kno

atter neither. What counts is how long you can spare to visitin' Wilton an' your aunt. We ain't much on talk here on the Cape, but I just want you should know that there's an empty room upstairs with a good bed in it,

here I happened to be staying yesterday afternoon, and had planned to go back tonight. I've been doing some post-graduate work in naval engineering at Tech and have just finished my course there

he stranger's fa

ork, an' startin' off o

ut it," con

take you West

or some time. I've accepted a business position with a

n master for fo

s,

've forgotten it, that so long as you're content to remain with us we'd admire to have you. 'T

derin' goin' back to Boston

" laugh

of your head," said Willie, "for we shan'

down on you this way-

aunt with spirit. "We ain't got nothin' to d

s flash into his countenance. But Bob, not understanding the al

tay with you a few days. The fact is," he added with boyish frankness, "my suit case is down behind the rose bushe

' fetch it in," commanded Willie, g

te of the mandate, R

th winning sincerity. "We've all been so rotten to you-never coming to see you or anyth

ched the last smouldering embers of

an' so have you; an' anyhow, men ain't much on follerin' up their relations, or writin

e woman's brave attempt to control the pitiful little quive

ing to kiss her cheek. "Had I dreamed half how nice you

blushed wi

into her eyes so affectionately. Willie couldn't but think as he saw her what a mother she would have made for some boy. Possibly something o

mind any notion of goin' to Boston for the present. I'll show you which room you're to have so'st you can

lly, Aunt Ti

ink it's any trouble fo

amed with

t down with us," he remarked. "We

from the truth, into uttering a falsehood monstrous as this. One glance, however, at his placid face, his unflinching eye, convin

not enli

m muffins, an' oatmeal, an' coffee don't do nothin' toward remindin' him he's et once, I ain't goin' to do it. This