



Produced by Roger Frank, Mary Meehan, and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net.

                          BY JOSEPH C. LINCOLN

          Author of "The Depot Master," "Cap'n Warrens Wards,"
                     "Cap'n Eri," "Mr. Pratt," etc.

                       _With Four Illustrations_
                           _By_ HOWARD HEATH

                           A. L. BURT COMPANY
                         _Publishers New York_

                         _Copyright, 1912, by_
                        D. APPLETON AND COMPANY

        Copyright, 1911, 1912, by the Curtis Publishing Company
         Copyright, 1911, 1912, by the Ainslee Magazine Company
                Copyright, 1912, by the Ridgeway Company

                         Published, April, 1912

                Printed in the United States of America

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[Illustration: _Seems to me I never saw her look prettier._]

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CONTENTS


    CHAPTER I--I MAKE TWO BETS--AND LOSE ONE OF 'EM
    CHAPTER II--WHAT A "PULLET" DID TO A PEDIGREE
    CHAPTER III--I GET INTO POLITICS
    CHAPTER IV--HOW I MADE A CLAM CHOWDER; AND WHAT A CLAM CHOWDER MADE
    OF ME
    CHAPTER V--A TRAP AND WHAT THE "RAT" CAUGHT IN IT
    CHAPTER VI--I RUN AFOUL OF COUSIN LEMUEL
    CHAPTER VII--THE FORCE AND THE OBJECT
    CHAPTER VIII--ARMENIANS AND INJUNS; LIKEWISE BY-PRODUCTS
    CHAPTER IX--ROSES--BY ANOTHER NAME
    CHAPTER X--THE SIGN OF THE WINDMILL
    CHAPTER XI--COOKS AND CROOKS
    CHAPTER XII--JIM HENRY STARTS SCREENIN'
    CHAPTER XIII--WHAT CAME THROUGH THE SCREEN
    CHAPTER XIV--THE EPISTLE TO ICHABOD
    CHAPTER XV--HOW IKE'S LOSS TURNED OUT TO BE MY GAIN
    CHAPTER XVI--I PAY MY OTHER BET

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                             THE POSTMASTER

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CHAPTER I--I MAKE TWO BETS--AND LOSE ONE OF 'EM


"So you're through with the sea for good, are you, Cap'n Zeb," says Mr.
Pike.

"You bet!" says I. "Through for good is just _what_ I am."

"Well, I'm sorry, for the firm's sake," he says. "It won't seem natural
for the _Fair Breeze_ to make port without you in command. Cap'n, you're
goin' to miss the old schooner."

"Cal'late I shall--some--along at fust," I told him. "But I'll get over
it, same as the cat got over missin' the canary bird's singin'; and I'll
have the cat's consolation--that I done what seemed best for me."

He laughed. He and I were good friends, even though he was ship-owner
and I was only skipper, just retired.

"So you're goin' back to Ostable?" he says. "What are you goin' to do
after you get there?"

"Nothin'; thank you very much," says I, prompt.

"No work at _all_?" he says, surprised. "Not a hand's turn? Goin' to be
a gentleman of leisure, hey?"

"Nigh as I can, with my trainin'. The 'leisure' part'll be all right,
anyway."

He shook his head and laughed again.

"I think I see you," says he. "Cap'n, you've been too busy all your life
even to get married, and--"

"Humph!" I cut in. "Most married men I've met have been a good deal
busier than ever I was. And a good deal more worried when business was
dull. No, sir-ee! 'twa'n't that that kept me from gettin' married. I've
been figgerin' on the day when I could go home and settle down. If I'd
had a wife all these years I'd have been figgerin' on bein' able to
settle up. I ain't goin' to Ostable to get married."

"I'll bet you do, just the same," says he. "And I'll bet you somethin'
else: I'll bet a new hat, the best one I can buy, that inside of a year
you'll be head over heels in some sort of hard work. It may not be
seafarin', but it'll be somethin' to keep you busy. You're too good a
man to rust in the scrap heap. Come! I'll bet the hat. What do you say?"

"Take you," says I, quick. "And if you want to risk another on my
marryin', I'll take that, too."

"Go you," says he. "You'll be married inside of three