Captain Jules continued to sew. He opened his mouth, to speak once or twice and then closed it again. Finally he asked Madge huskily, "What was your father's name, child?"
"Captain Robert Morton," replied Madge slowly. "He was from Virginia. If I knew him to be alive, I'd be the happiest girl in the world."
Captain Jules cast a peculiar glance in her direction which Madge did not see.
"My dear little mate," he said slowly, "some day a young man will come along who will be far more to you than any old father could have been. But what made your father go away? If he was a captain in the Navy, what made him resign his command?"
"I can't tell you that to-day, Captain Jules. Perhaps I'll tell you some day when I know you better; in fact, I am sure I shall tell you. Perhaps when I do tell you I shall ask you to do me a great favor. Perhaps I shall ask you to help me hunt for him. I'll tell you a secret. Uncle and Aunt have been good to me and I love them dearly, but I want my own father, and I can't, I won't, believe he is dead. That is, not until I have absolute proof."
"Little girl!" exclaimed Captain Jules in such a strange voice that Madge was startled, "I promise you that I'll help you find him." Then in a calmer tone of voice he said: "I told you that I would show you my diver's suit. If you will wait on my porch I will go around inside the house to see if I can find it."
He rose hastily and disappeared into the house, leaving Madge to wonder why the few words she had spoken concerning her father had affected the old sea captain so strangely.
Captain Jules was gone a long time, but Madge did not mind waiting for him. She loved the odd house with its roof shaped like three sails and its restful name, "The Anchorage."
When Captain Jules came back with the great suit his face was pale, almost haggard, but he was smiling good-humoredly. "Come, stand over here by this window while I show you my old togs. I haven't looked at this diving suit myself for several years."
Madge was too much interested in the diving dress to glance in at the captain's window to see if she could catch a glimpse of the inside of the snug little house that she had not yet been invited to enter.
The diving suit was much lighter than she had expected to find it. It weighed only about twenty pounds. It was made of water-proof material and had a large helmet of copper with great circular glasses in front that looked like goggle eyes.