I understood it better when I learned that the captain of the _Ferndale_ wanted little Fyne to be one of the trustees.

He was leaving everything to his wife.

Naturally, a request which involved him into sanctioning in a way a proceeding which he had been sent by his wife to oppose, must have appeared sufficiently mad to Fyne.
"Me! Me, of all people in the world!" he repeated portentously.

But I could see that he was frightened.

Such want of tact! "He knew I came from his sister.