n, which was heavier than those
made at the present day. At length he reached an open space in the
woods, only a few rods from the road which led from the farmhouse, past
the shanty occupied by old Chloe. As this road was not much traveled,
Pomp felt pretty safe from discovery, and accordingly here it was that
he halted, and made preparations to go through the manual.

"It begins dis yer way," said Pomp, after a little reflection.

Grasping the musket with one hand he called out in an important tone:

"'Tention, squab!"

For the benefit of the uninitiated it may be explained that Pomp meant
"Attention, squad!"

"S'port arms!"

Pomp found it considerably easier to give the word of command than
to obey it. With some difficulty he succeeded in accomplishing
this movement, and proceeded with the manual, with several original
variations which would have astonished a military instructor.

Meanwhile, though Pomp did not realize it, he was exposing himself
to considerable danger. The gun had been loaded with buckshot in the
morning, and the charge had not been withdrawn.

It seemed to be the lot of poor Mrs. Payson to suffer fright or disaster
whenever she encountered Pomp, and this memorable afternoon was to make
no exception to the rule.

"Cynthy Ann," she said to her daughter, in the afternoon, "I guess I'll
go and spend the arternoon with Mis' Forbes. I hain't been to see her
for nigh a month, and I calc'late she'll be glad to see me. Besides,
she ginerally bakes Thursdays, an' mos' likely she'll have some hot
gingerbread. I'm partic'larly fond of gingerbread, an' she does know how
to make it about the best of anybody I know on. You needn't wait supper
for me, Cynthy Ann, for ef I don't find Mis' Forbes to home I'll go on
to Mis' Frost's."

Mrs. Payson put on her cloak and hood, and, armed with the work-bag and
the invariable blue cotton umbrella, sallied out. Mrs. Forbes lived at
the distance of a mile, but Mrs. Payson was a good walker for a woman of
her age, and less than half an hour brought her to the door of the brown
farmhouse in which Mrs. Forbes lived.

She knocked on the door with the handle of her umbrella. The summons was
answered by a girl of twelve.

"How dy do, Betsy?" said Mrs. Payson. "Is your ma'am to home?"

"No, she's gone over to Webbington to spend two or three days with Aunt
Prudence."

"Then she won't be home to tea," said Mrs. Payson, considerably
disappointed.

"No, ma'am, I don