Owen Ford came over the next evening with a note to Anne from Leslie ; they spent the sunset time in the garden and then went for a moonlit sail on the harbor , in the little boat Gilbert had set up for summer outings . They liked Owen immensely and had that feeling of having known him for many years which distinguishes the freemasonry of the house of Joseph . `` He is as nice as his ears , Mrs. Doctor , dear , '' said Susan , when he had gone . He had told Susan that he had never tasted anything like her strawberry shortcake and Susan 's susceptible heart was his forever . `` He has got a way with him , '' she reflected , as she cleared up the relics of the supper . `` It is real queer he is not married , for a man like that could have anybody for the asking . Well , maybe he is like me , and has not met the right one yet . '' Susan really grew quite romantic in her musings as she washed the supper dishes . Two nights later Anne took Owen Ford down to Four Winds Point to introduce him to Captain Jim . The clover fields along the harbor shore were whitening in the western wind , and Captain Jim had one of his finest sunsets on exhibition . He himself had just returned from a trip over the harbor . `` I had to go over and tell Henry Pollack he was dying . Everybody else was afraid to tell him . They expected he 'd take on turrible , for he 's been dreadful determined to live , and been making no end of plans for the fall . His wife thought he oughter be told and that I 'd be the best one to break it to him that he could n't get better . Henry and me are old cronies -- we sailed in the Gray Gull for years together . Well , I went over and sat down by Henry 's bed and I says to him , says I , jest right out plain and simple , for if a thing 's got to be told it may as well be told first as last , says I , ` Mate , I reckon you 've got your sailing orders this time , ' I was sorter quaking inside , for it 's an awful thing to have to tell a man who hai n't any idea he 's dying that he is . But lo and behold , Mistress Blythe , Henry looks up at me , with those bright old black eyes of his in his wizened face and says , says he , ` Tell me something I do n't know , Jim Boyd , if you want to give me information . I 've known THAT for a week . ' I was too astonished to speak , and Henry , he chuckled .
` To see you coming in here , ' says he , ` with your XXXXX as solemn as a tombstone and sitting down there with your hands clasped over your stomach , and passing me out a blue-mouldy old item of news like that !
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