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all my life.
     You want what’s best for your family, and would like Tom to at least hear me
     out. I’ve decided to come to Newfoundland to face my brother, to urge him to
     hear what I have to say. I arrive on February 10. Use your own judgment to
     decide if he should be told about my plan ahead of time.
    All the best,
    Mike
    P.S. Don’t you agree the time has come for me to be formally introduced to my
     little brother’s wife ?
    Alice returned the letter to the envelope, went downstairs to
     the kitchen, and opened the top cupboard door nearest the pantry. A cookie tin
     was hidden behind a bag of flour. She hauled off the lid and placed the letter
     with the many others she had received over the years from Mike. She felt a
     guilty knot in her stomach at the thought of Tom.
    The kitchen door swung open. Alice whirled around. “Henry, what took you so
     long ?” She sounded breathless.
    “We were at the big meeting.” He took his gingerbread from the oven and sat
     down.
    Alice fidgeted with a button on her dress.
    “Mom, I knew you wouldn’t be mad at me for going to the CLB Armoury. I did
     think you’d at least comment on it.”
    Alice twisted a string around the fingers of one hand until they were all but
     blue. “Uncle Mike is coming here next month,” she blurted.
    Henry’s fork stopped in mid-air. His mouth drooped open and gingerbread plopped
     to the plate. “How do you know that ?”
    Alice bit down on her thumbnail. “Never mind about that now. He wants to settle
     things with your father once and for all.”
    Henry laid down the fork. “Dad won’t see him, let alone talk to him.”
    “That’s why this has to stay between you and me until Mike gets here.”
    “When next month ?”
    Alice squirmed on the chair. “The tenth.”
    Henry pushed aside the half-eaten gingerbread. “I have an awful bad feeling
     about this.”

Chapter 4
    THE SUNLIGHT SPREAD OVER THE houses like a warm blanket, yet
     when Henry opened the door to get the Daily News , the frosty air stole
     his breath away. He wondered how the meeting had turned out, and saw the answer
     in big black bold letters sprawled across the top of the front page.
RIOT ALMOST ERUPTS AT CLB ARMOURY
    Tempers flared during the meeting held at the CLB Armoury last evening to
     discuss the merits of Confederation with Canada. Mr. Smallwood had just
     begun his speech when several spectators interrupted him to voice their own
     diverse convictions. Individuals among the crowd then hurled insults at each
     other, which led to shouting and screaming. Mr. Smallwood remained composed
     during the incident and managed to control the angry mob. The debate
     continued in a peaceful manner.
    It is this reporter’s opinion that Mr. Smallwoodand his
     colleagues have a daunting task ahead of them in terms of Confederation.
     From my personal observations and questioning, our fair city of St. John’s
     is prepared to do whatever is necessary to keep Newfoundland a country. A
     country proud of its heritage, and most important of`all, its
     independence.
    Henry laid the paper in his father’s place at the table. “Where’s Dad ?”
    Alice stood at the stove and flipped over a pancake. “He’s already eaten and
     left for work.”
    Henry snapped open his napkin. “He can’t ignore me forever.”
    “A ship came in last night and has to be unloaded as soon as possible for
     another trip.” Alice put the frying pan in the sink. “You know that isn’t
     unusual.” She placed a plateful of pancakes on the table.
    Henry watched her smooth butter over a pancake : one, two, three, four, five
     times. How many more days until Uncle Mike arrived ? He caught a sidelong glance
     from his mother as she smeared a second pancake. The wall clock ticked,
     ticked.
    “Gran asked me to take her shopping on Saturday.”
    Alice’s mouth tilted up in a half-smile. “I think Mom wants to spend as much
     time with you as possible before you go away.” She