e you sure there was such a letter, Isaiah?" asked Mary.

Mr. Chase was not sure; that is to say, he was not sure more than a
minute at a time. The minute following he was inclined to think he might
have been mistaken, perhaps it was yesterday or the day before or even
last week that his employer received such a letter.

Captain Shadrach lost patience.

"Sure 'twan't last Thanksgivin'?" he demanded. "Are you sure about
anything? Are you sure how old you are?"

"No, by godfreys, I ain't!" roared Isaiah in desperation. "I'm so upsot
ever since I looked into that kitchen and see the poor soul down on the
floor there that--that all I'm sure of is that I ain't sure of nothin.'"

"Well, I don't know's I blame you much, Isaiah," grunted the Captain.
"Anyway, it doesn't make much difference about that letter, so fur as I
see, whether there was one or not. What did you want to know for, Mary?"

Mary hesitated. "Why," she answered, "I--perhaps it is foolish, but the
doctor said something about a shock being responsible for this dreadful
thing and I didn't know--I thought perhaps there might have been
something in that letter which shocked or alarmed Uncle Zoeth. Of course
it isn't probable that there was."

Shadrach shook his head.

"I guess not," he said. "I can't think of any letter he'd get of that
kind. There's nobody to write it. He ain't got any relations nigher than
third cousin, Zoeth ain't. Anyhow, we mustn't stop to guess riddles
now. I'll hunt up the letter by and by, if there was one and I happen to
think of it. Now I've got to hunt up a nurse."

The nurse was found, a Mrs. Deborah Atkins, of Ostable, and she arrived
that night, bag and baggage, and took charge of the patient. Deborah was
not ornamental, being elderly and, as Captain Shadrach said, built for
tonnage more than speed; but she was sensible and capable. Also, her fee
was not excessive, although that was by no means the principal reason
for her selection.

"Never mind what it costs," said Mary. "Get the best you can. It's for
Uncle Zoeth, remember."

Shadrach's voice shook a little as he answered.

"I ain't likely to forget," he said. "Zoeth and I've cruised together
for a good many years and if one of us has to go under I'd rather 'twas
me. I haven't got much money but what I've got is his, and after that
so long as I can get trusted. But there," with an attempt at optimism,
"don't you fret, Mary-'Gusta. Nobody's goin' under yet. We'll have Z