Page 197 - In A New World

"Don't be so tantalizing, Mr. Fox. If you know anything about the boy, out
with it!"

When Mrs. Fox spoke in this tone her husband knew that she would not

stand any nonsense. So he answered without delay. "Soon after he left our
happy home, Maria, he shipped on board the Nantucket, as a common
sailor, I presume, and the ship was lost off in the Southern Ocean with all

on board."

"How awful, pa," said Sally, who alone of all the family had felt kindly
toward Harry, "and he was so good-looking, too!"

"He wasn't a bit better looking than Joel," said her mother sharply.

"Oh, ma!"

"It's true. I never could see any good looks in him, and it doesn't become

you, miss, to go against your own brother. How did you find it out, Mr.
Fox?"

"I came across an old copy of the New York Herald, giving an account of
the disaster, and mentioning Harry Vane as one of the passengers. Of

course it's a mistake, for he must have been one of the common sailors."

"Well, I reckon there's no call for us to put on mourning," said Mrs. Fox.

"I don't know about that. It might look better."

"What do we care about Harry Vane?"

"My dear, he left property," said Mr. Fox significantly. "There's three
hundred dollars in the hands of that man in Ferguson, besides the money he

got for saving the train, as much as two hundred dollars. As we are his only
relatives, that money ought to come to us by rights."

"That's so, husband. On the whole, I'll put a black ribbon on my bonnet."