They went back to the desolate home. Little was said of the departed husband and father; but all that was said was of his good deeds, and his failings were not mentioned. The day wore away. The door of one state of existence seemed to close with that sad day, and with the next morning the family felt that they had entered upon a new era in their career. Captain Gildrock slept on board of the Sylph, because there was no room for him in the poor abode of his sister. "When your uncle told me that you ran away from him, I was afraid something terrible had happened to you, Dory," said his mother, after breakfast. "Why did you avoid him?" "Because I never liked him. While you have almost suffered for the want of food, clothes, and a decent house, he has never done a thing for you. You told me he had never been to see you since you were married. I always looked upon him as a hog," replied Dory with spirit. "Your uncle Royal and your father could never agree. When I was married, my father and my brother were both opposed to it. They did not believe your father was able to take care of a family. They were right, though I will not speak ill of him who is gone. Your father forbid Royal from ever entering his house. But Royal has offered to help me a hundred times, but I was afraid to accept his aid on account of your father. Now he has offered me a home for myself and my two children in his own house," replied the widow, wiping the tears from her eyes. "He is a good brother." Dory was both astonished and mortified. CHAPTER XXIX. CAPTAIN GILDROCK HAS DECIDED OBJECTIONS. "Uncle Royal is a different sort of a man from what I thought he was, and I am sorry I kept out of the way when he was looking for me. But I hope, mother, that you don't mean to be dependent upon him or anybody else," said Dory. "I have struggled hard to get along, and feed and clothe you children," replied Mrs. Dornwood. "If I could get work enough, I could do pretty well; but"-- "I can take care of you, mother; and I shall do it," interposed Dory. "You, poor boy! What can you do? I heard that you had been discharged from your place on the steamboat," added his mother. "Worse than that: they say you took some money that didn't belong to you." "Did Corny Minkfield bring that story over here?" demanded Dory indignantly. "No: your uncle heard it over at Plattsburgh." Dory told enough of his story to prove that he did not steal the money with which he bought the boat, but he could not tell where he got it. Then he produced the seventy dollars he had in his pocket, and gave that to his mother. "Why, Dory, where in the world did you get so much money?" exclaimed Mrs. Dornwood, as she took the bills; and the amount was more than she had ever before possessed at one time since she was married. "I received one hundred and five dollars for a service I rendered to a man near Plattsburgh, and I earned ten dollars by helping the officer capture Pearl Hawlinshed," replied Dory.