"Why, Mr. Silt," said Cap'n Jonah desperately, and cutting out 'Liphalet as intermediary, "I'll tell you the truth. When I first come here Sarah and Orrin treated me fair enough. They thought, you see, I had a fortune." "Hi-mighty!" exclaimed the storekeeper, a great light dawning on his face. "Ye don't mean to say----Why! Orrin told us ye had money to burn." "'Twouldn't make much of a smoke if I burned it all," said Cap'n Jonah dryly. "No, sir! What little tad I had when I landed here will soon be gone if I let Sarah Petty take it away from me at the rate she has been doin'. They're purty nigh convinced now, Sarah and Orrin, that I ain't a millionaire. Sarah ain't been able to find even a bankbook in my chist. And the way that woman treats Pearly----" He went on to tell of how the young girl was made to suffer, as well as of the indignities heaped upon himself of late, and of the unpleasant quarters he was made to occupy in a house where there were plenty of well furnished bedrooms. Cap'n Abe listened with full appreciation and sympathy. 'Liphalet broke in to say: "I tell him if he could make them Pettys jest _think_ he was rich--as they first thought--he could carry things with a high hand. Make 'em treat Pearly better, too." "Hi-mighty!" agreed Cap'n Abe. "It's a good p'int an' well taken. Might be done. Is that what ye want my advice on?" "Wal," said Cap'n Jonah, "Truitt said you was a great feller for schemin' out things." But he did not say it very hopefully. Cap'n Abe smiled broadly. "How fur would you be willin' to go, Cap'n Hand?" he asked. "I mean how close't could you trim your sails to the bare bones of truth. Ordinarily I don't believe in lyin'. But if folks want to fool themselves----" "That's it!" ejaculated 'Liphalet, eagerly. "I'd be willin' to go purty far," growled Cap'n Jonah. "Whatever!" Cap'n Abe had put aside his knitting. He slapped his knee smartly. "'Nough said!" he ejaculated. "You lemme think it over--_di_-gest it, as ye might say. I sartain am sorry for your situation, Cap'n Hand, and I want you to believe that, if wust comes to wust, us fellers along the Shell Road that's been able to put by a little won't see you lack none for comforts. Eh, 'Liphalet? Not as long as there's a shot in the locker." "That's mighty kind of you," said Cap'n Jonah. "But Sarah Petty an' her folks, I feel sure, wouldn't ha' been near so well off as they be if it wasn't for what I done once for her father. And for that reason she should be decent to me." "Humph! I allow you air right," said the reflective storekeeper. "Ye mean to say ye ain't got _nothin'_ but the money ye speak of?" "Nothin' but some ile sheers--two thousand dollars they cost me--that a feller bunkoed me with some years ago," replied Cap'n Jonah. "An' I believe I could have sold them to Orrin Petty when I first come." "Ye better had," said the ex-steward, darkly. "'Twould ha' sarved him right."