that things don't happen twice alike. Maybe you won't
be just here again in such terr'ble agreeable company--" and he
playfully touched Melvin on the shoulder--"and best improve it. And,
Sissy, strikes me you're real likely. Sort of a common sense sort of
little creetur without so many airs as some the girl-towerists put on.
If so be 't you stop a spell in Digby just tip me the wink and I'll haul
you with any load I happen to have on my 'Mobile.' Or, if so be we never
meet again on earth, be sure, little Sissy, 't you meet me in Heaven.
Good-by, till then."

Off he went and left Dorothy standing looking after him with something
very like tears in her brown eyes. Such a quaint figure he looked in his
long blue smock, his worn hat pushed to the back of his head, his sandy
beard sweeping his breast; jogging beside his beloved team, doing his
duty simply as he found it "in that state of life to which it had
pleased God to call him."

"He's a very religious man, Joel Snackenberg, and never loses a chance
to 'pass the word.' My mother sets great store by him and I must write
her about our meeting him. Shall we go to the Battery or back to the
hotel? Your friends don't--aren't anywhere in sight, so I suppose
they've gone there," remarked Melvin.

"Then we ought. Indeed, I feel afraid we've stayed too long; and yet I
can't be sorry, since we've met that dear old man."

Melvin had promptly recovered his "glibness" upon the departure of the
teamster; and though he looked at her in some surprise he answered:

"I don't believe many girls would call him 'dear.' I shouldn't have
thought of doing so myself. That Molly wouldn't, I know; but you have a
way of making folks--folks forget themselves and show their best sides
to you, so I guess. Anyhow, I never talked so much to any girl before,
and you're the only one in all that crowd I don't feel shy of. Even that
boy--Hmm."

"Thank you. That's the nicest thing I ever had said to me. And don't you
think that life--just the mere living--is perfectly grand? All the time
meeting new people and finding out new, beautiful things about them?
Like Mr. Snackenberg asking me to meet him in Heaven. It was certainly
an odd thing to say, it startled me, but it was beautiful--beautiful.
Now--do you know the road home?"

"Sure. We'll be there in five minutes."

"All right. Lead the way. And say, Melvin Cook, do one more nice thing,
please. Forgive my darling Molly for the prank she played on