Rebecca?" Rose inquired, peering
into the basket.

"Two; mother couldn't spare any more to-day," Rebecca replied, in a
trembling voice.

"How much sugar do you give for two dozen eggs, William?" asked Rose.

William hesitated; he gave a scarcely perceptible glance towards the
watchful old man, whose eyes seemed to gleam out of the gloom in the
back of the store. "Well, about two pounds and a half," he replied,
in a low voice.

Rebecca set her basket of eggs on the counter.

"How many pound did you tell her, William?" called the old man's
hoarse voice.

William compressed his lips. "About two and a half, father."

"How many?"

"Two and a half."

"How many dozen of eggs?"

"Two."

"You ain't offerin' of her two pound of sugar for two dozen eggs?"

"I said two pounds and a half of sugar, father," said William. He
began counting the eggs.

"Be you gone crazy?"

"Never mind," whispered Rebecca. "That's too much sugar for the eggs.
Mother didn't expect so much. Don't say any more about it, William."
Her face was quite steady and self-possessed now, as she looked at
William, frowning heavily over the eggs.

"Give Rebecca two pounds of sugar for the eggs, father, and call it
square," Rose called out.

Silas Berry pulled himself up a joint at a time; then he came forward
at a stiff halt, his face pointing out in advance of his body. He
entered at the gap in the counter, and pressed close to his son's
side. Then he looked sharply across at Rebecca. "Sugar is fourteen
cents a pound now," said he, "an' eggs ain't fetchin' more'n ten
cents a dozen. You tell your mother."

"Father, I told her I'd giver her two and a half pounds for two
dozen," said William; he was quite pale. He began counting the eggs
over again, and his hands trembled.

"I'll take just what you're willing to give," Rebecca said to Silas.

"Sugar is fourteen cents a pound, an' eggs is fetchin' ten cents a
dozen," said the old man; "you can have a pound and a half of sugar
for them eggs if you can give me a cent to boot."

Rebecca colored. "I'm afraid I haven't got a cent with me," said she;
"I didn't fetch my purse. You'll have to give me a cent's worth less
sugar, Mr. Berry."

"It's kinder hard to calkilate so close as that," returned Silas,
gravely; "you had better tell your mother about it, an' you come back
with the cent by-an'-by."

"Why, father!" cried Rose.

William shouldered his father aside with a sudden motion. "I'm
tendi