Good land!" he exclaimed, coming out of his meditation with a start, "I'm preachin' a sermon ahead of time.

And the Commodore's goin' to sleep over it, I do believe." The butler, who had been staring vacantly out of the window during the captain's soliloquy, straightened at the sound of his nickname, and asked hastily, "Yes, sir?
What will you have, sir ?" Captain Elisha laughed in huge enjoyment, and his niece joined him.
"Well," she said, "will you go with me ?" "I'd like to fust-rate--if you won't be too much ashamed of me." "Then it's settled, isn't it?
The service begins at a quarter to eleven.
We will leave here at half-past ten." The captain shaved with extra care that morning, donned spotless linen, including a "stand-up" collar--which he detested--brushed his frock-coat and his hair with great particularity, and gave Edwards his shoes to clean.

He would have shined them himself, as he always did at home, but on a former occasion when he asked for the "blackin' kit," the butler's shocked and pained expression led to questions and consequent enlightenment.
He was ready by a quarter after ten, but when his niece knocked at his door she bore a message which surprised and troubled him.
"Mrs.Dunn called," she said, "to ask me to go to church with her.

I told her I had invited you to accompany me.

Would you mind if she joined us ?" Her guardian hesitated.