"I do not know anything about it. It may be only gossip. But it is reported that Professor Endicott has wasted the family fortune."
"Dear me! You don't mean that, Lorna? That would be a catastrophe. What does Ralph say about it?"
"I have never spoken to Ralph about such matters," said Lorna, a little stiffly.
"No, no. I presume not. Such a sordid thing as money does not interest you youngsters. And in any case, if Ralph didn't have a penny to bless himself with, we can be thankful that your money is well placed and you and he need not worry."
Lorna got off the arm of the chair quickly. She stamped her foot.
"Daddy, I tell you I have no intention of marrying Ralph Endicott!"
"Bless us!" gasped her father. "If Henry has made ducks and drakes of their money and Ralph hasn't a penny, who will marry the boy if you don't?"
Amos Pickering waved a flabby hand to attract the attention of the lightkeeper while yet the monster-headed horse was a long way from Miss Heppy's flower-beds where Tobias was sunning himself with his pipe.
"Here comes the Daily Bladder," remarked Tobias, speaking to his sister, who was inside the lighthouse. "Now we'll l'arn whose punkin is the biggest."
He arose slowly from his seat and went down the sandy slope to the road. Amos had a paper for the lightkeeper, but he was bursting with news himself.