"I suppose not," was the calm reply.

Seth rose from the table.

"Well," he observed, "I've been up all night, too, and it's past my
bedtime. As I told you, my assistant's left all of a sudden and I'm
alone in charge of gov'ment property. I ought to turn in, but--" he
hesitated.

John Brown also rose.

"Mr. Atkins," he said, "my memory seems to be pretty bad, but I haven't
forgotten everything. For instance," his smile disappeared, and his tone
became earnest, "I can remember perfectly well that I'm not a crook,
that I haven't done anything to be ashamed of--as I see it--that I'm
very grateful to you, and that I don't steal. If you care to believe
that and, also, that, being neither a sneak or a thief, I sha'n't clear
out with the spoons while you're asleep, you might--well, you might risk
turning in."

The lightkeeper did not answer immediately. The pair looked each other
straight in the eye.

Then Seth yawned and turned toward the bedroom.

"I'll risk it," he said, curtly. "If I ain't awake by six o'clock I
wish you'd call me. You'll find some spare clay pipes and tobacco on the
mantelpiece by the clock. So long."

He entered the bedroom and closed the door. Mr. Brown stepped over to