us at the threshold. I marveled that a gift like Toby
Mull could work such a change in a woman. 'Tis queer how we thrives
when we haves what we wants. She thanked me for the mug an' the spoon
in a way that made me fair pity the joy that the little things give
her.

"'For Toby!' says she. 'For wee Toby! Ah, Tumm, Tumm,--how wonderful
thoughtful Toby's godfather is!'

"She wiped her eyes, then; an' I wondered that she should shed tears
upon such an occasion--ay, wondered, an' could make nothin' of it at
all.

"''Tis a great thing,' says she, 't' be the mother of a son. I lost my
pride, Tumm, as you knows, afore we moved down the Labrador. But now,
Tumm,--now, lad,--I'm jus' like other women. I'm jus' as much a woman,
Tumm,' says she, 'as any woman o' Tinkle Tickle!'

"With that she patted my shoulder an' smiled an' rippled with sweet
laughter an' fled t' the kitchen t' spread Toby Mull's first birthday
party.

"'Tim,' says I, 'she've done well since Toby come.'

"'Mm-m?' says he. 'Ay!'--an' smoked on.

"'Ecod!' says I; 'she's blithe as a maid o' sixteen.'

"'She's able t' hold her head up,' says he. 'Isn't afeared she'll be
laughed at by the women no more. That's why. 'Tis simple.'

"'You've lost heart yourself, Tim.'

"'Me? Oh, no!' says he. 'I'm a bit off my feed. Nothin' more. An' I'm
steadily improvin'. Steadily, Tumm,--improvin' steadily.'

"'You've trouble, Tim?'

"He gripped his pipe with his teeth an' puffed hard. 'Ay,' says he,
after a bit. 'I've trouble, Tumm. You got it right, lad.'

"Jus' then Mary Mull called t' supper. There was no time t' learn more
o' this trouble. But I was bound an' determined, believe me, t' have
Tim Mull aboard my craft, that night, an' fathom his woe. 'Twas a
thousand pities that trouble should have un downcast when joy had come
over the rim of his world like a new day."

* * * * *

"Places for four, ecod! Tim Mull was right. 'Twas a celebration. A
place for Tim--an' a place for Mary--an' a place for me. An' there,
too, was a place for Tobias Tumm Mull, a high chair, drawed close to
his mother's side, with arms waitin' t' clutch an' hold the little
nipper so soon as they fetched un in. I wished they'd not delay. 'Twas
a strain on the patience. I'd long wanted--an' I'd come far--t' see my
godson. But bein' a bachelor-man I held my tongue for a bit: for,
thinks I, they're washin' an' curlin' the child, an' they'll fetch un
in when they'