“Likeit，doyou？“askedZoeth，echoinghisfriend’squestion。
Mary-’Gustanodded。“Yes，sir，“shesaid。“It——it’slovely。“
CaptainShadrachnodded。“Besttownonearth，ifIdosayit，“hesaid，emphatically。“Soyouthinkit’slovely，eh？“
“Yes，sir。“Then，pointing，sheasked：“Isthatyourhouse？“
TheCaptaingrinned。“Well，no，notexactly，“hesaid。“That’sthetownhall。Nobodylivestherebuttheselectmenandtheyain’tpermanentboarders——thatis，Ihavehopessomeof’em’llmoveaftertown-meetin’day。Ourhouseisoveryonder，downnightheshore。“
Theoldhorseprickeduphisearsatsightofhomeandthebuggymovedfaster。Itrolledthroughthemainstreet，wheretheCaptainandMr。Hamiltonwerekeptbusyansweringhailsandreturningbowsfromcitizens，maleandfemale。Throughthemorethicklysettledportionofthevillageitmoved，untilatapointwheretherewerefewershopsandthehouseswereolderandlessup-to-date，itreachedthecornerofanarrowcrossroad。Thereitstoppedbeforeaframebuildingbearingthesign，“HamiltonandCompany，DryGoods，Groceries，BootsandShoesandNotions。“Therewasanarrowplatformatthefrontofthebuildinganduponthisplatformwereseveralmen，mostlyofmiddleageorolder。Mary-’Gustanoticedthatmostofthesemenweresmoking。Ifshehadbeenoldershemighthavenoticedthateachmaneithersatupontheplatformstepsorleanedagainstthepostssupportingitsroof。Notonewasdependingsolelyuponhisownmusclesforsupport；hesatuponorleanedagainstsomethingwoodenandsubstantial。
Asthebuggydrewalongsidetheplatformthemenevincedconsiderableinterest。Notenoughtomakethemriseorrelinquishsupport，butinterest，nevertheless。
“Hello，Shad！“hailedone。“Homeagain，beyou？“
“Prettybigfuneral，wasit？“drawledanother。
“Who’sthatyougotaboard？“queriedathird。
CaptainShadrachdidnotanswer。Mr。Hamiltonleanedforward。
“Where’sAnnabel？“heasked。
“She’sinside，“repliedthefirstquestioner。“Wanttoseeher？
Hi，Jabe，“turninghisheadandaddressingoneofthegroupnearestthedoor，“tellAnnabel，ZoethandShad’scome。“
“Jabe，“whowasproppedagainstapost，languidlypushedhimselfawayfromit，openedthedoorbehindhimandshouted：“Annabel，comeouthere！“Thenheslouchedbackandleanedagainstthepostagain。
Thedooropenedandastout，red-facedyoungwomanappeared。ShelookedmuchmorelikeanElizathananAnnabel。Shehadanewspaperinherhand。
“Hey？“shedrawled。“Whowasthathollerin’？Wasityou，JabezHedges？“
Jabezdidnottakethetroubletoanswer。Insteadhetookahandfromhistrouserspocketandwavedittowardthebuggy。Annabellooked；thenshecamedownthesteps。
“Hello！“shesaid。“Iseeyougotbackallright。“
Zoethnodded。“How’dyougetalonginthestore？“heasked，anxiously。“How’sbusiness？“
“Wasn’tnonetospeakof，“repliedAnnabelcarelessly。“Soldacoupleofspoolsofcottonand——andsomesaltporkandsugar。EzraHowlandboughtthepork。Hewasn’tsatisfied；saidtherewasn’tenoughleaninittosuithim，butIlethimhaveitacentcheaper，sohetookit。“
Mr。Hamiltonseemedatrifledisappointed。“Wasthatall？“heasked，withasigh。
“Yup。No，’twa’n’tneither，cometothinkofit。RastusYoung’swife，comeinwithhertwoyoung-onesandboughtsomeshoesandhatsfor’em。“
“Didshepaycash？“demandedCaptainShadrachsharply。
“No；shesaidcharge’emup，soIdoneit。Say，ain’tyoucomin’inprettysoon？It’s’mostmysuppertime。“
Zoethopenedhismouthtoanswer，buttheCaptaingotaheadofhim。
“It’soursuppertime，too，“hesaid，crisply。“Whenwe’vehadityoucanhaveyours。Getdap，January。“
Thehorse，whosenamewasMajorbutwhowasaccustomedtobeingaddressedbyalmostanyname，joggedon。Mr。Hamiltonsighedoncemore。
“I’m’fraidoneofushadoughttostayedinthestore，Shadrach，“
hesaid。“Annabelmeanswell，she’srealobligin’；butsheain’tagoodhandatbusiness。“
Shadrachsnorted。“Obligin’nothin’！“heretorted。“We’retheonesthatwasobligin’whenweagreedtopayherseventy-fivecentsforsettin’asternofthecounterandreadin’theAdvocate。Itoldyouwhenyouhiredherthatshewasn’tgoodfornothin’butballast。“
“Iknow，Shadrach。I’doughttohavestayedtohomeandkeptstoremyself。ButIdidfeelasifImustgotoMarcellus’sfuneral。“
“Sellin’themYoungsawholepasselofstuffandlettin’’emchargeitup！“wentonShadrach。“Theyoweusenoughnowtokeepadecentfamilyallwinter。Reg’lartowndead-beats，that’swhattheyare。
Youcouldn’tgetacentoutofRastusYoungifyouweretorunadredgethroughhim。“
Mr。Hamiltongroanedremorsefully。“IfI’donlystayedathome！“hesaid。
“Ifyou’dstayedtohomeyou’dhavechargedupthestuffjustthesameasshedid。You’rethesoftestthing，outsideofasponge，inthistown。Anybodycanimposeonyou，andyouknowit，Zoeth。“
Zoeth’shabitualmildnessgavewaytoresentment，mildresentment。
“Why，Shadrach，“heretorted，“howyoutalk！YouwastheonethatchargedupthelastthingsRastus’sfolksbought。Youknowyouwas。“
TheCaptainlookedasifhehadbeencaughtnapping。
“Well，what’sthatgottodowithit？“hesputtered。“’Twasn’tnothin’butsomecornmealandafewyardsofcalico。HowcouldI
helpchargin’itup，withthatwomancryin’andgoin’onabouttheirhavin’nothin’toeatnorwearinthehouse？Icouldn’tlet’emstarve，couldI？Norfreezeneither？“
“’Twasonlylastweekshedidit，“protestedhispartner。“Folksdon’tfreezeinApril，seemstome。“
“Aw，bestill！Don’ttalknomoreaboutit。Byfire！“withasuddenchangeofsubjectandaburstofenthusiasm，“lookatthathorse，willyou！Turnedrightinatthegatewithoutmypullin’thehelmonceorsayin’aword——knowsasmuchasaChristian，thathorsedoes。“
Thebuggyhadrockedandploweditswayoverthehummocksandthroughthesandofthenarrowlaneandwasatthetopofagrass-
coveredknoll，alittlehill。Atthefootofthehillwasthebeach，strewnwithseaweed，andbeyond，theSound，itswatersnowarosypurpleinthesunsetlight。Ontheslopeofthehilltowardthebeachstoodalow，rambling，whitehouse，abarn，andseveralshedsandoutbuildings。Therewerelilacbushesbythefrontdoorofthehouse，aclam-shellwalkfromthelanetothatdoor，and，surroundingthewhole，awhitewashedpicketfence。Asandyrutteddrivewayledfromtherearofthehouseandtheentranceofthebarndowntoabiggate，nowwideopen。ItwasthroughthisgatewayandalongthisdrivethatthesagaciousMajorwaspullingthebuggy。
Mary-’Gustastaredatthehouse。Asshestaredthebackdoorwasthrownopenandatall，thinmancameout。Hewasinhisshirtsleeves，hisarmswerebaretotheelbow，andtoMary-’Gusta’sastonishmentheworeanapron，aginghamapronsimilartothosewornbyMrs。Hobbswhenatworkinthekitchen。
“Ahoy，there，Isaiah！“hailedtheCaptain。“Hereweare。“
Themanwiththeaprontookabignickelwatchfromtheupperpocketofhisvest，lookedatit，andshookhishead。Uponhisface，whichwaslongandthinliketherestofhim，therewasagrievedexpression。
“Alittlemitelate，ain’twe，Isaiah？“saidZoeth，hastily。“Hopeweain’tkeptsupperwaitin’toolong？“
Thetallmanreturnedthewatchtothepocket。
“Onlytwenty-threeminutes，that’sall，“hedrawled，withtheresignationofamartyr。“Twenty-threeminutesain’tmuchinalifetime，maybe——butitdon’thelpfriedpotatoesnone。Thempotatoeswasreadyathalf-pastfive。“
“Well，’tain’tsixyet，“protestedCaptainShad。
“Maybe’tain’t，butit’stwenty-threeminuteslater’nhalf-pastfive。Lastthingyousaidtomewas，’Havesupperreadyathalf-
pastfive！’Ihaditready。Thempotatoeswentonthefireat——“
“There！there！“interruptedtheCaptain。“Nevermindthepotatoes。
We’ll’tendtotheminaminute。Giveusahandwiththisdunnage。
There’sasatchelhereandsomemorestuff。Soonerthiscraft’sunloadedthesoonerwecaneat。Allashorethat’sgoin’ashore。“
Zoethclimbedoutofthebuggy。Heliftedtheirpassengertotheground。
“Mary-’Gusta，“hesaid，“here’swhereCap’nGouldandIlive。ThisisMr。IsaiahChase。Isaiah，thisisMaryLathrop，Cap’nMarcellus’slittlegirl。She’scometo——t——“
“Tomakeusalittlevisit，“putintheCaptain，promptly。“YouwanttogetacquaintedwithIsaiah，Mary-’Gusta；he’scookandstewardformeandMr。Zoeth。That’sright；shakehandsandbesociable。“