"They might's well know it here an' now," he declared. "'Liphalet does know, anyway. And I reckon young Helmford there thinks he has reason to be glad I ain't got a fortune. Yes, friends, I been gullin' all on you. I ain't got a penny but what I'm carryin' right now in my pocket--there! I don't reckon there's a much poorer man on this here Cape than Cap'n Jonah Hand." "Oh, Cap'n Hand!" cried Miss Sue in sympathy. She crossed to his side and rested a gentle hand upon his coat sleeve. 'Liphalet, from the doorway, saw and appreciated the picture they made--the sturdy, stern-faced old seaman looking down upon the petite Miss Sue with beaming eyes, while she gazed up into his face in full sympathy for his misfortune. 'Liphalet Truitt had been stirred to the very depths of his being during the past two hours; but the heart-pang that smote him now was more severe than anything he had heretofore suffered. Nobody noticed him as he retired from the living room and closed the door. He passed out of Cap'n Abe's side door and went home. Once there he stoked his dying fire, changed into dry garments, and made himself a huge bowl of "composition tea"--a never-failing Cardhaven remedy in case of chill. But the chill at 'Liphalet Truitt's heart was not so easily cured. * * * * * Cap'n Abe's and Miss Sue's attention for the moment was fully given to Cap'n Jonah. But Helmford approached Pearl Holden's side. He stooped and drew her hands from before her face and lifted her up by the wrists to stand before him. "Is--is this true, Pearly?" he asked. "Is it really _so_? Hasn't Cap'n Jonah a fortune?" "He--he says he hasn't!" she sobbed. "And are you disappointed? I am sorry, Pearl." "What you sorry for?" she demanded, raising dewy eyes to his. "Cap'n Jonah is going to be all right. I can work for him if he gets laid up by the rheumatism--and I'd be glad to. He's been awfully kind to me." "But you will be no heiress," Helmford said, smiling. "'Heiress'?" repeated Pearl. "What do you mean, Mr. Helmford? My! do you s'pose I thought two minutes about Cap'n Jonah's fortune?" "But I have been thinking about it," the young man said. "And--forgive me for saying it--I am glad you are not going to be rich, Pearly." She was still looking at him. They had forgotten the others in the room. Now that the great moment had arrived Pearl Holden showed no false modesty. "Why don't you want me to be rich?" she asked him. "Though goodness knows, I never expect to be!" "Because _I_ am poor. And _I_ never expect to be rich," he said, his voice shaking with suppressed feeling. "As you are not an heiress, Pearly, I can tell you something that I have wanted to tell you for a long while and have not dared. It is----" "Say!" exclaimed the harsh voice of Betty Gallup from the kitchen door. "Shall I dish up the chowder for all hands, Cap'n Abe? It's sp'ilin' to be et."