The captain had come to be what Mrs.Barnes called the "sheet anchor" of the High Cliff House.

Whenever the advice of a man, or a man's help was needed, it was to Captain Bangs that she turned.

And Captain Obed was always only too glad to help.

Hannah Parker declared he spent more time at the boarding house than he did at her home.
If Emily Howes noticed how frequently the captain called--and it is probable that she did--she said nothing about it.

John Kendrick must have noticed it, for occasionally, when he and Captain Obed were alone, he made an irrelevant remark like the following: "Captain," he said, on one occasion, "I think you're growing younger every day." "Who?
Me?
Go on, John! How you talk! I'm so old my timbers creak every time I go up a flight of stairs.