"He's a purty poor fish, this boy, Tom, of yours, Sarah," said Cap'n Jonah. "He'll not only hide himself behind a gal, but he'll rob her." "Aw," put in Tom in self-defense, "I'm goin' to pay her back all right. I was only teasin' her." "Le's see you do it," said the captain tartly, striking for Pearly while the iron was hot. Sarah Petty, silent for the moment with fury, suddenly dug under her skirt for the deep pocket she always wore. She drew forth her purse. "_I'll_ pay the minx back," she said. "Of course Tom was only foolin'. But if you ever do sech a thing again, Tom Petty, I'll disown you! You see, now, I hope, what it means to mix up with pauper baggage like this gal." "Belay that, I tell you!" commanded Cap'n Jonah, betrayed into an excitement he had occasion to regret later. "I'd like to know, Jonah Hand, what int'rest _you_ have got in this gal?" snapped his niece, driven beyond the point of endurance. "I'll tell ye right now," said the master mariner, sternly, "she ain't goin' to be treated like she was dirt under your feet no more. I've a mind to see the selectmen myself about it, and take her away." "What do you mean?" gasped Orrin, putting in his oar at last. "After we carin' for her for seven year, an' jest as she's got of some use 'round the house, do you think we're goin' to let her go?" "And who'd take the impudent thing in, I'd like to know?" demanded his wife. "After they heard that _we've_ got through with her?" "She's beholden to us for every bite an' sup an' for the clo'es on her back," added the excited Orrin. "She'd ought to be beholden to nobody," declared Cap'n Jonah, as Pearl sobbed upon his shoulder and his shirt-sleeved arm stole around her. "You folks don't appreciate her; but _I_ do. Whatever! If you don't take another tack with the gal, you an' Orrin, Sarah, I vow to man I'll will ev'ry cent I got and all my prop'ty--sech as it is--to Pearl Holden. She sha'n't be beholden to nobody after I die, anyway." This bombshell, exploding in the Petty kitchen, left the trio dumb. Cap'n Jonah pushed the girl, her hand filled with the money Sarah Petty had paid to her, gently out of the room. "You go up to bed, my gal, an' forgit it," he said. "I won't see you harrowed no more." Then he passed the Petty group with scornful glance, opened the back stairway door again, and stormed heavily up to his room under the eaves. "Whatever! Now I guess I have done it," was his murmured comment when he was again in bed. CHAPTER XIV VEERING WINDS There never had been before as serious a conference between the three Pettys in that kitchen as this one. Tom might well thank his lucky stars that Uncle Jonah Hand had thrown his bombshell. The surprise of it sponged from his mother's mind all immediate thought of his crime, which had been revealed during the last few minutes.