. Something dreadful has happened.
Did you wreck your boat?"

"Hey? Me wreck the _Jennie P._? I tell you honest, Beth, there ain't
nothing----"

Elizabeth lifted her hand and turned his face toward her. He looked down
and gave up.

"There ain't no use pretending to you. I sold her."

"You sold the _Jennie P._?"

"I sold the _Jennie P._," he repeated slowly, as though it were hard for
him to comprehend that fact. "You see, I didn't have no more real need
for her, and 'twas kind of expensive to keep her afloat."

"Nonsense!" exclaimed the girl.

"It was a mite expensive, honest, Beth."

"Uncle Josiah! Why didn't you come to me if you were in need of money?"

"I owe your father more now than I'd otter."

"But I love you so!"

The big shoulders gave a decided heave. "That's wuth more to me than all
the money in the world."

"Then, why didn't you come to me?"

"I didn't think of doing that."

"Oh, Uncle Josiah!"

"Yes, I sold my boat. There wa'n't no wonder I was singing, was there?"
he asked, passing his hand across his face as if to clear his vision. "I
cal'late that song wa'n't much like music to you, but I just naturally
had to do something to keep my feelings afloat, didn't I, Beth?"

"Yes."

"I sold her," he said, speaking as though his thoughts were coming by
way of his tongue. "It wa'n't easy. Just like parting with an old
friend. It sort of pulled on me. Odd, ain't it, how an old boat like
that can get a hold on a feller?"

"No, it is not odd. Some of the happiest moments of my life were spent
on board the _Jennie P._"

"Do you honest feel that way about her?"

"Yes."

"I'm mighty glad, Beth," he said, his eyes gleaming with pride. "She
sartin was a worthy craft."

"Who bought your boat?"

"Feller by the name of Peters, who runs a fish business down on East
River near Brooklyn bridge. I knew him years ago. His wife's name is
Jennie, and I named my boat after her 'cause he was the first man to
help me sail her."

"Why did you go to him without first telling me?"

"There wa'n't no time to tell no one. You'd not likely----"

"Oh, you men! You treat us women as if we were numskulls. If you had
given me the slightest idea that you intended to sell I should have put
in my bid along with others."

"Do you mean you would have bought my _Jennie P._?"

"Why not, pray tell? Haven't I as much right to own a boat as any man
you know?"

"I do believe you'd have bought her, sartin as death!