At the seashore, soon after Tom Jonah had first come to live with the Corner House girls, the dog had been instrumental in saving the lives of both Tess and Dot. He had often guarded them when they played and when they worked. They depended upon him at night to keep away prowlers from the Corner House henroost. No ill-disposed persons ever troubled the premises at the Corner of Willow and Main Streets after one glimpse of Tom Jonah. "I don't care!" sobbed Tess, her plump cheeks streaked with tears, when her little sister and Sammy caught up with her a block away from home. "I don't care. They sha'n't put poor Tom Jonah in the gas chamber. _I_ know what they do to poor doggies. They sha'n't treat him so!" "But what'll you do, Tess!" demanded Sammy, amazed by the determination and courage of his little friend. "I don't know just what I'll do when I get there but I'll do something--you see if I don't, Sammy Pinkney!" threatened this usually mild and retiring Tess Kenway. CHAPTER XXIV IT ENGAGES AUNT SARAH'S ATTENTION Ruth, as has been said, was away from the house when this dreadful thing happened to Tom Jonah. Uncle Rufus was too lame to have followed the dog catchers' van in any case, had he seen the capture of their pet. But Mrs. MacCall and Aunt Sarah were sitting together sewing in the latter's big front room over the dining-room of the Corner House. Looking out of the window by which she sat, and biting off a thread reflectively, the housekeeper said: "It's on my mind, Miss Maltby, that our Ruth is not so chirpy as she used to be." "She's growing up," said Aunt Sarah. "I'll be glad when they're all grown up." And then she added something that would have quite shocked all four of the Corner House girls. "I'll be glad when they are all grown up, and married, and settled down." "My certie! but you are in haste, woman," gasped the housekeeper. "And it sounds right-down wicked. Wishing the bairns' lives away." "Do you realize what it's going to mean--these next four or five years?" snapped Aunt Sarah. "In what way, Miss Maltby?" asked Mrs. MacCall. "For us," said Aunt Sarah, nodding emphatically. "We're going to have the house cluttered up with boys and young men who will want to marry my nieces." "Lawk!" gasped the housekeeper. "Will they be standin' in line, think you? Not but the bonny lassies deserve the best there is--" "Which isn't saying much when it comes to a choice of _men_," Aunt Sarah sniffed. "Well," returned Mrs. MacCall, slowly, "of course there'll be none worthy of the lassies. None who deserves our Ruthie. Yet--I'm thinkin'--that that young laddie that was here now--you know, Miss Maltby. Luke Shepard." "A likeable boy," admitted Aunt Sarah, and that was high praise from the critical spinster. "Aye," Mrs. MacCall hastened to say, "a very fine young man indeed. And I am moved to say Ruthie liked him." "Eh!" exclaimed Aunt Sarah.