"Jed Starrows is not an acquaintance but I intend to know more about him. When anyone speaks of him they put such a funny tone in their voices. I asked Mr. Dugald if he is aristocratic too and he laughed and said he most certainly is not. But he owns a big boat--an auxiliary schooner that is the fastest one here and he has just bought out a fish company and Aunt Achsa says it beats everything where he gets his money because he wasn't much more than a common clam-digger a year or so ago. But I will record here that Captain Davies spoke of Jed Starrows as though he might know something about pirates and I mean to find out if I can. "Enough now, dear friend--my arm aches and I must stop. Adieu for the nonce--" CHAPTER X MAIDS And later Sidney wrote the following letter to her sisters. "Dear Family: "I have not written before because everything is so marvellously exciting. My telegram told you that I had arrived safely at Cousin Achsa's. The hours of my journey, all too short, sped on wings of happiness. Thus they are still speeding. This is the loveliest and the unusualest place and it is filled with quaint homes and the most interesting people. Our relatives are among the most aristocratic and Aunt Achsa, she wants me to call her that, is of the proudest blood of Cape Cod. She is very nice to me and asks a great many questions about you all and about our mother. She has a nephew who lives here who is only a year older than I am. And a family friend of Aunt Achsa's lives here summers and he takes Lavender (which is our cousin's name) and me out on a big boat which is most exciting. "There is a girl about my own age who lives right next door and I think we will be very good friends. She is not at all like Nancy which I am glad as variety is the sauce of living. She is of pure Cape Cod blood, too. "If I do not write often and only very little letters it is because I'm so busy, for I must make the most of every minute. I wish you would write to me an awful lot though and please send all of Vick's letters to me so that I will know what she's doing just as though I was home, and Trude, _you_ write every day. And when you write to Vick tell her that I am having the most wonderful time. Be sure to do that. Loads and loads of love, "Your sister, Sidney." Kneeling against a half-packed trunk, Trude read Sidney's letter aloud to Isolde. Victoria had gone the day before. "What do you think?" Trude asked, slowly, as she finished. "Think? What do you mean? I'm glad the child's there safe and happy." "But, Issy, that letter doesn't ring just--true. I know how Sid usually writes and talks. It's too brief and there's something, well--forced about it."