lussed when he said
this, but without answering I walked to the window, working with my
needle as I was doing when he came in, and looked out as if I was
expecting you and Jim to be coming. I would give him no food, nor even
a drink of water; so at last he grew tired, and, saying I should see him
again soon, swinging his cane and whistling, he walked away."

"What do you think, Peter? Can he really be old Tom's nephew?" asked
Mary, when Nancy ceased speaking.

"One thing is certain, that if he proves himself to be so we shall be
bound to turn out of this house, and to give up the wherry," I answered.

"Oh, Peter! What shall we do, then?" exclaimed Mary.

"The best we can, my sister," I said. "Perhaps the man may not be able
to prove that he is what he calls himself. I have heard of impostors
playing all sorts of tricks. We'll hope for the best. And now, Nancy,
let us have some supper."

Though I tried to keep up the spirits of Mary and Nancy, I felt very
anxious, and could scarcely sleep for thinking on the subject. Whatever
might happen for myself I did not care, but I was greatly troubled about
what Mary and Nancy would do. I naturally thought of Commander Rogers,
from whom all this time I had heard nothing, though he had promised to
come and see after Mary and me. Mr Gray had said that he was going
away again, so that I could not obtain advice from him. "I have God to
trust to, that's a comfort," I thought, and I soon dropped off to sleep.

The next morning I remained at home to a later hour than usual. Just as
I was going out a man came to the door, who said he was sent by Lawyer
Gull, and put a paper into my hand, which he told me was a something I
could not exactly make out, to quit the house within twenty-four hours.
"His client, the owner of the property, wishes not to act harshly, so
refrains from taking stronger measures at present," said the clerk, who,
having performed his task, went away. I stopped a few minutes to talk
with Mary and Nancy. Mary said quietly that if we must go we must, and
that we had better look out for cheap lodgings at once. Nancy was very
indignant, and declared that we had no business to turn out for such a
scamp as that. Old Tom had never spoken of having a nephew; she did not
believe the fellow was his nephew, and certainly, if he was, Tom would
not have left his property to him. She advised me, however, to go out
and try to get advice from some one who knew mor