"You say he was in the second story of a building and he stepped on--on a FISH ?" "Yes, just a mackerel 'twas, and not a very big one, they tell me.

At first they was afraid 'twas the spine he'd broke, but it turned out to be only the collar-bone, though that's bad enough." Captain Obed burst into a laugh.

"'Twa'n't the mackerel's collar-bone, Miss Howes," he explained, "though I presume likely that was broke, too, if Alpheus stepped on it.

He was up in the loft of his fish shanty icin' and barrelin' fish to send to Boston, and he fell downstairs.

Wonder it didn't kill him." Miss Parker nodded.