yer roads?"

"I've noticed pretty darned well 't I don't belong to no town, only
when it comes to votin' some on ye into offis' up there and payin'
taxes," said one of the Basin group--Captain Dan Kirtland, Vesty's
father. "I ain't a-goin' to pay no rates, nor work 'em out on no roads
neither. When I goes I goes by boat, 'n' I didn't see, when I was out
pollockin' this mornin', but what the water 's jest as smooth as she
ever was!"

A low murmur of sympathetic laughter ran through the group.

"I goes by boat--when I goes," said Captain Leezur benignantly. "She
_is_ smoother, sartin she is. But some, ye know, 's never sartisfied.
Some neow 's all'as shiftin' a chaw o' tobackker----"

"Comparin' of the road with the water," said Captain Rafe, father of
Fluke and Gurdon, "I permits it to ye all that thar' ain't that
steadiness about the land that thar' is about the water. Thar 's a
kind o' a weaviness and onsartainty about the land."

"'S I sums it up," said the imperturbable collector, grave pipe of
expired ashes in mouth, "thar 's some bottom to the water, but it 's
purty nigh fell out o' yer roads down here. Ye're a disgrace to a
shyer town."

Loud and unoffended laughter from the group.

"I permits 't thar 's some advantages about the land," continued
Captain Rafe. "I wants ter go out and shute me a mess o' coots once in
a while, and ketch me a mess o' brook-trout, but as for tinkerin' over
the roads--why, that artis' that was down here three months las'
summer, paintin' a couple o' Leezur's sheep eatin' rock-weed off'n a
nubble, said 't our roads was picturusque. You don't suppose I'm goin'
around a-shorin' up and sp'ilin' the picturusque, do ye?"

Inextinguishable laughter from the group. At this juncture Captain
Shamgar came up with his cows.

"Ain't ye drivin' yer cows home ruther early, Shamgar? Sun 's
a-p'intin' 'bout tew in the arternoon."

"Wal, yes, but I got through cuttin' weir-stays, and thought 's the
cows was over there, I'd take 'em along home with me. Save goin' back
arter 'em by 'n' by, ye know."

Captain Shamgar disposed himself on the fence, and the cows fell to
browsing in the lane.

"Got your road-tax ready for the adm'r'l, Shamgar?"

"Sartin, sartin," said that individual, firmly and permanently
buttressing his cowhide boots between the rails; "charge 'er to the
town pump, and take 'er out o' the handle!"

Uproarious laughter.

"You'd orter see the roads in Californy