from the mop boards."

Well, true to his hauty resolution to not share his grand success and
triumph with anybody he went the next day and hired a man by the name
of Penstock. He had been a good carpenter in his day, but his brain
had kinder softened, yet he could work quite fast, and sez Josiah:

"He's jest the man for me. He won't be jealous, he will carry out my
views and not steal my plans or my credit. There is a lumber dealer
out to the Cape owin' me for a horse, and I propose to buy of him and
have the things landed at Shadow Island." Sez he, "I am a solid
influential man, and they will send the boards and charge 'em to me,
or send 'em C. O. W."

"C. O. W.?" sez I. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh," sez he, "that's a bizness phrase wimmen don't understand, we men
use it often."

"But what duz it mean? Most things mean sunthin', at least they do in
wimmen's bizness."

"Well, I don't want to muddle up your head with such things, Samantha,
but if you must know, it means Collect All Winter, meanin' that I can
have till spring to pay it up."

"How do you spell all?" sez I.

"Why o-w-l of course."

And I sez, "With wimmen that spells owl, a bird that pertends to great
wisdom but don't know anything. Send your things C. O. W. by all
means!" sez I wore out. "Send 'em along and spell your all, o-w-l. I
think it is a highly figurative and appropriate expression."

"Well, that is what I thought you would say as fur as you could see
into it," sez he hautily, and in the same axent he asked me if I had
packed up a extra pair of socks for him.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

IN WHICH JOSIAH AND SERENUS DEPART SARAHUPTISHUSLY FOR CONEY ISLAND
AND I START IN PURSUIT

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

IN WHICH JOSIAH AND SERENUS DEPART SARAHUPTISHUSLY FOR CONEY ISLAND
AND I START IN PURSUIT

That afternoon I see Josiah and Serenus leanin' on the barnyard fence
talkin' dretful earnest, I spozed about the Plan. But when I went to
put my milk pans in the sun I hearn the same old story Coney Island!
Dreamland! Luny! Bowery! etc., and I hurried into the house. When
Josiah come in he sez, "I guess I'll invite Serenus to go with me."

Sez I, "Why should you invite him to go to Shadow Island?"

"Oh he's got such good judgment," sez he.

I felt dubersome, but bein' so mellered in sperit by his consentin' to
build the cottage I didn't stand out. And they started the next
mornin' at sunrise for Shadow Island as I spozed. Till the n