are some that can pay," she said. "Jeremiah Clifford, for
instance. According to the books he owes us over a hundred and ten
dollars and part of the account is three years old. Mr. Clifford owns
property. He can't be a poor man."

The Captain sniffed. "His wife owns the property," he said. "Every
stick's in her name. Jerry Clifford's got enough, but he loves it too
well to let go of it. Mean! Why, say! In the old days, when fishin'
schooners used to run from South Harniss here, Jerry he was owner and
skipper of a little hooker and Solon Black went one v'yage with him.
There was another fo'mast hand besides Jerry and Solon aboard and Solon
swears that all the hearty provision Jerry put on board for a four-day
trip was two sticks of smoked herrin'. For two days, so Solon vows, they
ate the herrin' and the other two they chewed the sticks. That may be
stretchin' it a mite, but anyhow it goes to show that Jerry Clifford
don't shed money same as a cat does its hair."

Zoeth put in a word.

"He says he'll pay pretty soon," he observed plaintively. "He's been
sayin' it for over a year, though."

"Humph!" grunted Shadrach. "There's only a difference of one letter
between 'sayin'' and 'payin',' but there ain't but two between 'trust'
and 'bust.'"

Mary spoke. "Never mind," she said. "I shall see Mr. Clifford
myself. And I shall see some of these others, too. Now about our own
bills--those we owe. I have a list of the principal creditors. Mr.
Green's firm is one of them; we owe them most of all, it seems. I think
I shall go and see Mr. Green myself."

"For the land sakes, what for?" demanded Shadrach. "He knows how we're
fixed, Zoeth wrote him."

"Yes, but I want to talk with him, nevertheless."

"But what for? You ain't goin' beggin' him to--"

"I'm not going begging at all. When I talked with him at the Howes' he,
not knowing in the least who I was or that I was your niece, expressed
sympathy for Hamilton and Company and wished there were some way of
helping us out of our trouble--something he could do, you know. I'm not
sure there isn't something he can do. At any rate, I am going to see
him. I shall start for Boston Monday morning."

Zoeth ventured an observation.

"He'll be considerable surprised to see you, won't he?" he said.

Mary laughed. "I think he will," she replied. "Surprised and a little
embarrassed. But I imagine his embarrassment will make him all the
more anxious to be of service to me, and that'