quick's she can find a good
excuse. 'Tis hot now. You'd better content yourselves till you get nice
an' rested, an' 'long after dinner the sea-breeze 'll spring up, an'
then you can take your walks, an' go up an' see the prospect from the
big ledge. Almiry'll want to show off everything there is. Then I'll get
you a good cup o' tea before you start to go home. The days are plenty
long now."

While we were talking in the best room the selected fish had been
mysteriously brought up from the shore, and lay all cleaned and ready in
an earthen crock on the table.

"I think William might have just stopped an' said a word," remarked
Mrs. Todd, pouting with high affront as she caught sight of it. "He's
friendly enough when he comes ashore, an' was remarkable social the last
time, for him."

"He ain't disposed to be very social with the ladies," explained
William's mother, with a delightful glance at me, as if she counted upon
my friendship and tolerance. "He's very particular, and he's all in his
old fishin'-clothes to-day. He'll want me to tell him everything you
said and done, after you've gone. William has very deep affections.
He'll want to see you, Almiry. Yes, I guess he'll be in by an' by."

"I'll search for him by 'n' by, if he don't," proclaimed Mrs. Todd, with
an air of unalterable resolution. "I know all of his burrows down 'long
the shore. I'll catch him by hand 'fore he knows it. I've got some
business with William, anyway. I brought forty-two cents with me that
was due him for them last lobsters he brought in."

"You can leave it with me," suggested the little old mother, who was
already stepping about among her pots and pans in the pantry, and
preparing to make the chowder.

I became possessed of a sudden unwonted curiosity in regard to William,
and felt that half the pleasure of my visit would be lost if I could not
make his interesting acquaintance.

IX. William

MRS. TODD HAD taken the onion out of her basket and laid it down upon
the kitchen table. "There's Johnny Bowden come with us, you know," she
reminded her mother. "He'll be hungry enough to eat his size."

"I've got new doughnuts, dear," said the little old lady. "You don't
often catch William 'n' me out o' provisions. I expect you might have
chose a somewhat larger fish, but I'll try an' make it do. I shall have
to have a few extra potatoes, but there's a field full out there,
an' the hoe's leanin' against the well-house, in 'mongst th