“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。“