Q: In the last scene of the movie "The Quiet Man," Maureen O'Hara leans over and whispers something in John Wayne's right ear, which caused quite a reaction from Wayne. She was instructed to do this by the director John Ford. What did she say?

- R.M., e-mail

A: According to Maureen O'Hara, director John Ford gave her a line he wanted her to whisper into John Wayne's ear, as you said. She claims at first she refused to say such a thing to Wayne, but Ford wanted a surprise reaction. She agreed, but insisted the line never be revealed. John Wayne and John Ford are no longer with us. O'Hara will be 89 this summer, and it is unlikely she will reveal the secret. It will probably remain a mystery.

Q: In a novel I'm reading, the main character is supposed to meet someone at a tavern by the pier. The author describes the interior so well you can just about taste the salty air. He says the room was filled with mostly shellbacks but gave no explanation. What are shellbacks?

- V.L.S., Ephrata, Pa.

A: There are two definitions for the term shellback. The first, the one the author probably meant, is an experienced sailor. Some sources say the word was at one time a derogatory term. The second definition refers to a person who has crossed the equator by ship.

Q: Why did a hairline become known as a widow's peak?

- M.J.H., Hobart, N.Y.

A: A widow's peak, an inherited trait, forms a V-shaped point in the middle of the hairline. This resembles an English headdress, called a mourning hood, worn by widows. In English folklore, it was believed that a woman with this hair trait would outlive her husband.

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