What's this, Commodore?
Oysters, hey?
Well, they ought to taste like home.

They're 'Cape Cods'; I wouldn't have anything else." "We won't touch the birthday cake, Jim," he added, a little later.
"She's got to cut that herself." The soup was only lukewarm, but neither of them commented on the fact.
The captain had scarcely tasted of his, when he paused, his spoon in air.
"Hey ?" he exclaimed.

"Listen! What's that?
By the everlastin', it _is_.
Here they are, at _last_!" He sprang up with such enthusiasm that his chair tipped backwards against the butler's devoted shins.

Pearson, almost as much pleased, also rose.
Captain Elisha paid scant attention to the chair incident.
"What are you waitin' for ?" he demanded, whirling on Edwards, who was righting the chair with one hand and rubbing his knee with the other.
"Don't you hear 'em at the door?
Let 'em in!" He reached the library first, his friend following more leisurely.
Caroline and Stephen had just entered.
"Well!" he cried, in his quarter-deck voice, his face beaming with relief and delight, "you _are_ here, ain't you! I begun to think....
Why, what's the matter ?" The question was addressed to Stephen, who stood nearest to him.

The boy did not deign to reply.