"Bos'n--Emmie, of course--and I have been for a walk.

'Twan't her fault, 'twas mine.

I kept her out of school.

I was--well, kind of lonesome." The teacher's gray eyes flashed in the lamplight.
"Cap'n Whittaker," she cried, "please don't waste time.

I didn't come here to talk about the weather nor Emily's reason for not attending school.