this
little note, which Rebecca had dropped in it.

"dere teecher,

"I wanted to do sumthyng to help yu wen I seen him come in To Day
fur I new jus howe yu felt but thay wasent no wours than thay always
was, and he nose it! and thay studdid more fur yu I think than thay
did for any but I think it mus be harrd for yu not bein' use to us.
I think yu was tired. When we was singin' I thot howe tired yu was,
but thar' was always won to help. Excus writin' pleas but I wanted
to let yu no for yu was good to me and I luv yu.

Becky Weir."

Somehow, the little note rested and comforted me, more than I would have
imagined, a week before, any expression of this humble disciple of mine
could have done.

I held the letter crumpled in my hand going up the lane. Going up the
lane, too, I met Emily's fisherman coming gayly home from the river.

Mr. Rollin stopped, and gallantly requested the pleasure of carrying a
small book which I held in my hand. He walked back to the Ark with me,
talking very fluently the while.

"Do you know," he began; "I think I'm awfully fortunate meeting you here
in the lane. I've been wishing for an opportunity to speak with you for
two or three days past, but the Ark is such a popular resort for the
youth of Wallencamp, and the children seem to be always following you.
Well, they regard the school teacher as their special property, and would
Consider me worse than an intruder if I should go in to take even the
lowest seat in the synagogue. I've been wanting to speak with you ever
since that first night--when I stared at you so stupidly at Captain
Keeler's--when I went up to borrow the oars, and you were engaged, you
remember," said Mr. Rollin, laughing gently, "in wresting particles of
hulled corn from the ocean depths of that kettle."

"I remember," I said, trying to smother what annoyance I still felt at
the recollection. "I admit that it was a very striking scene. It was very
good," I added, religiously, referring to the corn. Mr. Rollin ought to
know, I thought, that I had come to Wallencamp on a mission, and that if
he wished to scoff at the ways of its defenceless inhabitants, he
shouldn't look to find a confidante in me.

"The hulled corn? Oh! yes, indeed!" he answered with a sprightly air.
"We have it served in the same way at Emily's, and we think it's
just--a--rich, you know. But I wanted to tell you. I