Here's a short story:

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. 

CONCLUSION. 

Once again, and for the last time, we visit the floating light. 

It was a calm sunny evening, about the end of autumn, when the Trinity tender, having effected "the relief" of the old Gull, left her in order to perform the same service for her sister light-vessels. 

"Good-bye, Welton, good-bye, lads," cried the superintendent, waving his hand as the tender's boat pushed off and left them, for another period of duty, in their floating home. 

"Good-bye, sir," replied the mate and men, touching their caps. 

"Now, sir," said Dick Moy to the mate, shortly after, when they were all, except the watch, assembled below round the galley stove, "are you goin' to let us 'ave a bit o' that there letter, accordin' to promise?" 

"What letter?" inquired Jack Shales, who having only accomplished half of his period of service on board--one month--had not come off with his comrades, and knew little or nothing of what had occurred on shore. 

"A letter from the lighthouse from Jim," said the mate, lighting his pipe, "received it this forenoon just as we were gettin' ready to come off." 

"All well and hearty, I hope?" asked Jerry MacGowl, seating himself on a bench, and rolling some tobacco between his palms, preparatory to filling his pipe. 

"All well," replied the mate, pulling out the letter in question, and regarding the address with much interest; "an' strange news in it." 

"Well, then, let's 'ear wot it's all about," said Dick Moy; "there's time to read it afore sunset, an it ain't fair to keep fellers in all the hagonies of hexpectation."  (End of story)

Provide your best guess for the following question. Give ONLY the guess, no other words or explanation.

For example:

Guess: <most likely guess, as short as possible; not a complete sentence, just the guess!>

Here are a few examples of questions and answers:

Question: was it raining?
Guess: No.

Question: What time of day was it?
Guess: Evening

Question: in what season?
Guess: Autumn

Question: where was the letter from?
Guess: the lighthouse

Question: who lit their pipe?
Guess: the mate

Question: who sat on a bench
Guess: Jerry MacGowl

Now answer the following question in the same format.

Question: did they read the letter?

Probably, they were about to.