Isawatoncethatitwasvaintomakeanypursuitbymoonlight；andresolvingtoholdmyowncounselaboutitthoughpuzzlednotalittleandtokeepwatchthereanothernight，backIreturnedtothetallatt-ladder，andsleptwithoutleavingofftillmorning。
Nowmanypeoplemaywishtoknow，asindeedImyselfdidverygreatly，whathadbroughtMasterHuckabackoverfromDulverton，atthattimeofyear，whentheclothingbusinesswasmostactiveonaccountofharvestwages，andwhenthenewwheatwasbeginningtosamplefromtheearlypartsupthecountryforhemeddledaswellincorn-dealingandwhenwecouldnotattendtohimproperlybyreasonofouroccupation。Andyetmoresurprisingitseemedtomethatheshouldhavebroughthisgranddaughteralso，insteadofthetroopofdragoons，withoutwhichhehadvowedhewouldnevercomehereagain。Andhowhehadmanagedtoenterthehousetogetherwithhisgranddaughter，andbesittingquiteathomeintheparlourthere，withoutanyknowledgeorevensuspiciononmypart。Thatlastquestionwaseasilysolved，formotherherselfhadadmittedthembymeansofthelittlepassage，duringachorusoftheharvest-songwhichmighthavedrownedanearthquake：butasforhismeaningandmotive，andapparentneglectofhisbusiness，nonebuthimselfcouldinterpretthem；andashedidnotseefittodoso，wecouldnotberudeenoughtoinquire。
Heseemedinnohurrytotakehisdeparture，thoughhisvisitwassoinconvenienttous，ashimselfindeedmusthavenoticed：andpresentlyLizzie，whowasthesharpestamongus，saidinmyhearingthatshebelievedhehadpurposelytimedhisvisitsothathemighthavelibertytopursuehisownobject，whatsoeveritwere，withoutinterruptionfromus。MothergazedharduponLizzieatthis，havingformedaverydifferentopinion；
butAnnieandmyselfagreedthatitwasworthlookinginto。
Nowhowcouldwelookintoit，withoutwatchingUncleReuben，wheneverhewentabroad，andtryingtocatchhiminhisspeech，whenhewastakinghiseaseatnight。For，inspiteofallthedisgustwithwhichhehadspokenofharvestwassailing，therewasnotamancomingintoourkitchenwholikeditbetterthanhedid；onlyinaquietway，andwithouttoomanywitnesses。Nowtoendeavourtogetatthepurposeofanyguest，evenatreacherousonewhichwehadnorighttothinkUncleReubenbymeansofobservinghiminhiscups，isathingwhicheventhelowestofpeoplewouldregardwithabhorrence。Andtomyminditwasnotclearwhetheritwouldbefair-playatalltofollowavisitorevenatadistancefromhomeandclearofourpremises；exceptforthepurposeoffetchinghimback，andgivinghimmoretogoonwith。Neverthelesswecouldnotbutthink，thetimesbeingwildanddisjointed，thatUncleBenwasnotusingfairlythepartofaguestinourhouse，tomakelongexpeditionsweknewnotwhither，andinvolveusintroubleweknewnotwhat。