o Zenas
Henry's white cottage, but there was a serenity in her mien that
softened her expression into charming womanliness. As she neared the
shed she glanced at Willie with an uneasiness she could not wholly
conceal.

"Don't it seem to you, Willie, that it's gettin' most time for 'em to
be gettin' home?"

"You ain't nervous, Abbie," smiled the little old man.

"N--o, not really. Of course, I know they're all right. Still, they
ain't never stayed clammin' so long before."

"I wouldn't worry, Auntie," Delight put in, taking her hand
reassuringly. "A thousand things may have delayed them. I am sure--"

"They're comin'!" broke in Willie with sudden excitement. "The boat's
comin'. Ain't that her makin' the point, Bob? She's clippin' along
like a race horse, too. Lord! Watch her go."

"That's the _Sea Gull_!" cried Abbie. "I don't need no glasses to make
her out. That's her! How foolish I was to go fussin'. Still, I
always have a kind of dread--"

"I know, I know," interrupted the inventor gently. "But there warn't
no call for worry this time. I felt mortal certain they'd be heavin'
into sight pretty soon."

"I guess likely now we know they're on the way, we'd better slip home
again," Abbie smiled. "I'd feel silly enough to have 'em find us here."

"Nonsense, Abbie!" said Celestina. "They needn't know you was worried.
Ain't it possible you might have come down here on an errand? Wait
'til they pass and walk back with 'em. What difference does it make if
your dinner is late?"

Abbie hesitated. Her dinner never was late; yet, for that matter, she
never was out visiting her neighbors in the middle of the day, either.
Perhaps, as she had followed one demoralizing impulse and transgressed
all her domestic traditions, the breaking of another did not matter.

"I--s'pose I might wait," she answered. "I'd love dearly to hear what
they'll have to say."

"Oh, do wait, Auntie!" Delight begged. "It won't be long now before
they get here."

"Better stay, Abbie," put in Willie. "Bob an' I won't be inventin'
every day."

"Well," was the half unwilling answer.

"Don't you wonder how it worked?" cried Delight, addressing Bob, her
cheeks scarlet with excitement. "See, here they come! Did you ever
hear such a chatter! Zenas Henry is swinging that clam bucket as if
there wasn't a thing in it. He will spill them all out if he isn't
careful."

On strode the four men. With a bound they cleared the