“I’m afraid he will. He’s talking now of going to Boston to study law. It’s all nonsense. He needn’t do anything but just spend my money.”
“He never would be satisfied with such a life as that. He’d make a splendid lawyer, I know.”
“Yes; but he can study with Squire Barnes, here at home. There’s few lawyers can beat him in an argument. If I could only find some way to keep him here! He’s old enough to marry.”
Becky winced.
“Perhaps he’s thinking of that, and wants to be in Boston, near Alice Parks.”
“Alice Fiddlesticks!” shouted the captain, upsetting his plate. “Don’t talk nonsense, Becky.”
“He had a letter from her to-day,” said Becky, innocently unmindful of the fact that she might be betraying a secret.
“He did—did he?” said the captain, growing red in the face. “I’ll put a stop to that. He shan’t marry that girl; I won’t have it. I’ll just have him in here, and know what he means.”
He jumped to his feet, dropping his plate.