“’He blew too hard,
    The flame revived.’”

“That will do!  That will do!” cried Olive.  “I don’t want any more of that poem.”

“And the result of it all,” said he, “is only a burnt match.”

“Nothing but a bit of charcoal,” added Olive.

At this moment up came the captain.  Olive had told him all about Mr. Locker, and he was not glad to see him.  Olive noticed this, and she spoke quickly.  “Here’s Mr. Locker, uncle; he has dropped down quite accidentally at this place.”

“Oh” said the captain incredulously.

“You know he used to like me too much.  But he knows me better now.”

“Charming frankness of friendship!” said Locker.

“And as I like him very much, I am glad he is here,” continued Olive.

The young man bowed in gratitude, but Olive’s words embarrassed him somewhat, and he did not know exactly what would be suitable for him to say.  So he took refuge in a change of subject.  “Captain,” said he, “can you fish?”

A look of scornful amazement showed itself upon the old mariner’s face.  “I have tried it,” said he.

“And so have I,” cried Locker, “but I never had any luck in fishing and—­some other things.  I am vilely unlucky.  I expect that’s because I don’t know how to fish.”

“It is very likely,” said Olive, “that your bad luck comes from not knowing where to fish.”

The young man took off his hat and held it for a little while, although the sun was very hot.

During the course of that afternoon and evening Captain Asher grew to like Claude Locker.  The young man told such gravely comical stories, especially about his experiences in boats and on the water, that the captain was very glad he had happened to drop down upon that especial watering-place.  He wanted Olive to have some society besides his own, and a discarded lover was better than any other young man they might meet.  He knew that Olive was a girl who would not go back on her word.

CHAPTER XXXI

As good as a Man.

The next day our three friends went fishing in a catboat belonging to the young seaman of forty, and they took their dinner with them, although Mr. Locker declared that he did not believe that he would want any.

They had a good time on the water, for the captain had made careful inquiries about the best fishing grounds, and the mishaps of Locker were so numerous and so provocative of queer remarks from himself, that the captain and Olive sometimes forgot to pull up their fish, so preengaged were they in laughing.  The sky was bright, the water smooth, and even Mr. Locker caught fish, although it might have been thought that he did everything possible to prevent himself doing so.

When their boat ran up the beach late in the afternoon the captain and Olive were still laughing, and Mr. Locker was as sober as a soda-water fountain from which spouts such intermittent sparkle.  Dear as was the toll-gate, this was a fine change from that quiet home.