ow. I've got other
things on my mind. How do I know who all these women folks are you're
stringing off to me? Let me alone, do."

"But you must have a housekeeper, Cy. You'll move in Monday and you
won't have nobody to--"

"Oh, dry up! I want to think who I must see this morning. There's Lem
and old lady Penniman, and--"

"But the housekeeper, Cy! Don't you see--"

"Hire one yourself, then. You know 'em; I don't."

"Hey? Hire one myself? Do you mean you'll leave it in my hands?"

"Yes, yes! I guess so. Run along, that's a good feller."

He departed hurriedly. Mr. Bangs scratched his head. A weighty
responsibility had been laid upon him.

Monday morning after breakfast Captain Cy's trunk was put aboard
the depot wagon, and Dan'l Webster drew it to its owner's home. The
farewells at the perfect boarding house were affecting. Mrs. Tripp said
that she had spoken to the Reverend Mr. Daniels, and he would be sure to
call the very first thing. Keturah affirmed that the captain's stay had
been a real pleasure.

"You never find fault, Cap'n Whittaker," she said. "You're such a manly
man, if you'll excuse my sayin' so. I only wish there was more like
you," with a significant glance at her husband. As for Miss Phinney,
she might have been saying good-by yet if the captain had not excused
himself.

Asaph accompanied his friend to the house on the hill. The trunk was
unloaded from the wagon and carried into the bedroom on the first floor,
the room which had been Captain Cy's so long ago. Gabe shrieked at Dan'l
Webster, and the depot wagon crawled away toward the upper road.

"Got to meet the up train," grumbled the driver. "Not that anybody ever
comes on it, but I cal'late I'm s'posed to be there. Be more talk than a
little if I wan't. Git dap, Dan'l! you're slower'n the moral law."

"So you're goin' to do your own cookin' for a spell, Cy?" observed
Asaph, a half hour later, "Well, I guess that's a good idea, till you
can find the right housekeeper. I ain't been able to think of one that
would suit you yet."

"Nor I, either. Neither's Bailey, I judge, though for a while he was as
full of suggestions as a pine grove is of woodticks. He started to say
somethin' about it to me last night, but Ketury hove in sight and yanked
him off to prayer meetin'."

"Yes, I know. She cal'lates to get him into heaven somehow."

"I guess 'twouldn't BE heaven for her unless he was round to pick at.
There he comes now. How'd he get ou