It was directed to Parks--they were both Barnegat men--and was answered by that surfman with a slow-falling wink.

Tod saw it, and his face flushed.

Certain stories connected with Archie rose in his mind; some out of his childhood, others since he had joined the crew.
The captain's eyes filled as he shook the boy's hand, but he made no reply to Archie's outburst.

Pausing for a moment, as if willing to listen to any further comments, and finding that no one else had any word for him, he turned on his heel and reentered his office.
Once inside, he strode to the window and looked out on the dunes, his big hands hooked behind his back, his eyes fixed on vacancy.
"It won't be long, now, Archie, not long, my lad," he said in a low voice, speaking aloud to himself.

"I kin say you're my grandson out loud when Bart comes, and nothin' kin or will stop me! And now I kin tell Miss Jane." Thrusting the letter into his inside pocket, he picked up his cap, and strode across the dune in the direction of the new hospital.
Jane was in one of the wards when the captain sent word to her to come to the visiting-room.