"So," Sarah continued, placid as a summer sea, "I've cleared out the front room for the winter an' set up a bed there for Uncle Jonah. After supper you an' Tom, Orrin, go up and get his chist and carry it down there. There's a fire in the base-burner, and if ye fix the dampers right ye can run a fire in it day and night, Uncle." "Whatever!" ejaculated the master mariner. "I'm sure you'll be much more comfort'ble in the front room, Uncle," added his niece sweetly. "We must not let the rheumatism get settled on you. You must take good care of yourself the few years you've got to remain with us." Cap'n Jonah, Pearl, and even Helmford, were by this time speechless. CHAPTER XIX THE HIGH HAND Sarah Petty possessed the usual district-school training of the Cape Cod native. It is not wholly ignorance of English that develops the Cape Cod tang in the speech of the people who dwell on that famous hook of land. In part it arises from the association with others who maltreat the language; and partly it is from a degree of pride in the fact that the Cape has a distinctive speech of its own. Naturally, sea lore and seafaring expressions are incorporated in the dialect. Sarah sat down that evening after the half-stunned Cap'n Jonah had retired to the "saloon cabin," as he called his new quarters, and proceeded to write to the Heaths and the Solon and Enoch Pettys the news that Cap'n Jonah Hand, retired from the Chinese trade, had come to make his home with his gratified relatives on the Shell Road. The writer, with due humbleness of phraseology but abundant pride to be read between the lines, wished the Heath families and the Pettys to come for a Sunday visit, for the express purpose of becoming acquainted with the returned wanderer and shining light of the Hand family. "Goshamighty, it'll cost a slather of money to feed all them folks an' to run fires all over the house if we have a cold spell," complained Orrin. "That extry fire in the front room----" "You hesh!" commanded Sarah. "Didn't you never hear of throwin' a sprat to ketch a herrin', an' throwin' a herrin' to ketch a whale?" "Yes," grumbled Orrin. "But I don't never calc'late to use a whale to bait for a herrin'. What in tarnation good is it goin' to do us to have all them folks here to show off your Uncle Jonah to? We'd better keep him to ourselves." "You dunderhead!" exclaimed his wife bitterly. "What a punishment for my sins you be, Orrin Petty! Unless a body gives you chart, compass, _an'_ all the soundings, you can't weather a p'int. Don't you see 'tis for our benefit to be good friends with them of your fam'ly that has got money and position? We hope to have money and position. And I want they should see Cap'n Jonah Hand, through whom we air goin' to rise in the world." "Goshamighty! Woman, you air takin' too much for granted," urged Orrin.