his eyes.

"We're glad to see you, Mr. Walker," he declared. "My name is Hubert
Morrissey, and the gentleman who is with me is Mr. Frank Campbell.
We're on a hunting expedition."

"Perty late in the season fer huntin', ain't it? The law's on most
everything now."

"I don't think the law's on what we're hunting for."

"What ye huntin' fer?"

"Spruce trees."

"Eh?"

"Spruce trees. Or, rather, one spruce tree."

"Well, ye wouldn't have to shoot so allfired straight to hit one in
these parts. I've got a swamp full of 'em down here."

"So we understand. But we want a choice one."

"I've got some that can't be beat this side the White mountains."

"We've learned that also. We took the liberty of looking over your
spruce grove on our way up here."

"Well; they didn't nobody hender ye, did they?"

"No. We found what we were looking for, all right."

"Jes' so. Come in an' set down."

Grandpa Walker moved ponderously from the doorway in which he had been
standing, to his comfortable chair by the window, seated himself,
picked up his pipe from the window-sill, filled it, lighted it and
began puffing. The two men entered the room, closing the door behind
them, and found chairs for themselves and occupied them. Then the
conversation was renewed.

"We'll be perfectly frank with you, Mr. Walker," said Hubert
Morrissey, "and tell you what we want and why we want it. It is
proposed to erect a first-class liberty-pole in the school-yard at
Chestnut Hill. A handsome American flag has already been given to the
school. The next thing in order of course is the pole. Mr. Campbell
and I have been authorized to find a spruce tree that will fill the
bill, buy it, and have it cut and trimmed and hauled to town while the
snow is still on. It has to be dressed, seasoned, painted, and ready
to plant by the time the frost goes out, and there isn't a day to
lose. There, Mr. Walker, that is our errand."

"Jes' so. Found the tree did ye? down in my swamp?"

"We certainly did."

"Nice tree, is it? What ye was lookin' fer?"

"It's a beauty! Just what we want. I know it isn't just the thing to
crack up the goods you're trying to buy from the other fellow, but we
want to be perfectly fair with you, Mr. Walker. We want to pay you
what the tree is worth. Suppose we go down the hill and look it over,
and then you can doubtless give us your price on it."

"'Tain't ne'sary to go down an' look it over. I know the tree ye've
got your e