only yesterday she was clingin' to my neck an' I was bringin' her home." 

 "She's grown to be a regular beauty," Celestina observed. 

 "I s'pose she has; folks seem to think so," replied Zenas Henry.  "But it wouldn't make an ounce of difference to me how she looked; I'd love her just the same. I reckon she'll never seem to me anyhow like she does to other people. Still I ain't so blind that I don't know she's pretty. Her hair is wonderful, an' she's got them big brown eyes an' pink cheeks. I'm proud as Tophet of her. If it warn't fur Abbie I figger the three captains an' I would have the child clean spoilt. But Abbie's always kept a firm hand on us an' prevented us from puttin' nonsensical notions into Delight's head. Much of the way she's turned out is due to Abbie's common sense. Well, the girl's a mighty nice one," concluded Zenas Henry.  "There's none to match her." 

 "You're right there!" Celestina assented cordially.  "She's one in a hundred, in a thousand. She has the sweetest way in the world with her, too. A body couldn't see her an' not love her. I guess there's many a young feller along the Cape thinks so too, or I'm much mistaken," added she slyly.  "She must have a score of beaux." 

 "Beaux!" snapped Zenas Henry, wheeling abruptly about.  "Indeed she hasn't. Why, she's nothin' but a child yet." 

 "She's most twenty. You said so yourself just now." 

 "Pooh! Twenty! What's twenty?" Zenas Henry cried derisively.  "Why, I'm three times that already an' more too, an' I ain't old. So are you, Tiny. Twenty? Nonsense!" 

 "But Delight is twenty, Zenas Henry," persisted Celestina. 

 "What of it?" 

 "Well, you mustn't forget it, that's all," continued the woman softly. "Many a girl her age is married an'——" 

 "Married!" burst out the man with indignation.  "What under heaven are you talkin' about, Celestina? Delight marry? Not she! She's too young. Besides, she's well enough content with Abbie an' the three captains an' me. Marry? Delight marry! Ridiculous!" 

 "But you don't mean to say you expect a creature as pretty as she is not to marry," said Celestina aghast. 

 "Oh, why, yes," ruminated Zenas Henry.  "Of course she's goin' to get 

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