But this child , sir -- it beats me . What might he be like ? '' I described the child as closely as possible . `` That fits little Harry Martin to a hair , '' said old Abel , perplexedly , `` but , sir , it ca n't be . Or , if it is , there 's been foul work somewhere . James Martin 's wife died last winter , sir , and he died the next month . They left a baby and not much else . There were n't nobody to take the child but Jim 's half-sister , Maggie Fleming . She lived here at the Cove , and , I 'm sorry to say , sir , she had n't too good a name . She did n't want to be bothered with the baby , and folks say she neglected him scandalous . Well , last spring she begun talking of going away to the States . She said a friend of hers had got her a good place in Boston , and she was going to go and take little Harry . We supposed it was all right . Last Saturday she went , sir . She was going to walk to the station , and the last seen of her she was trudging along the road , carrying the baby . It has n't been thought of since . But , sir , d'ye suppose she set that innocent child adrift in that old leaky dory to send him to his death ? I knew Maggie was no better than she should be , but I ca n't believe she was as bad as that . '' `` You must come over with me and see if you can identify the child , '' I said . `` If he is Harry Martin I shall keep him .
My wife has been very lonely since our baby died , and she has taken a fancy XXXXX this little chap . ''
as at if in like of than that to with