ho will pay the bills. I wonder how soon it could be arranged
with such a tug! Do you know one?"

"Sure. Right away, this evenin', if you like. I happen to have a loose
foot, to-day, and can tend to it. To-morrow's market and I'll have to
be up soon, and busy late. Is 't a bargain? If 'tis, I'll get right
about it."

By "evening" meant with these Marylanders all the hours after mid-day;
and, declining any refreshment, Mr. Stillwell departed about this
business. His alertness and cheerfulness put new life into Aunt Betty
and the widow, who hustled about putting into fresh order the already
immaculate Lily.

"If we're going to move I want everything spick-and-span. And the
girls'll come in right tired after their wood tramp. Wonderful, ain't
it? How 't that peeked, puny Elsa is a gainin' right along. Never see
the beat. She'll make a right smart lot of good, wholesome flesh, if
she keeps on enjoyin' her victuals as she does now. Looks as if she
lived on slops most of her short life. See anything more wants doing,
Mrs. Calvert?"

"No, Mrs. Bruce, I do not. I wish you'd let Chloe bear her share of
the work, not do so much yourself. I want you to rest--as I'm doing,"
answered the other.

"It plumb wears me out to have folks fussin' so, Ma'am. They ain't no
use. A day's only a day, when all's said and done. Why not take it
easy? Take it as easy as you can and it don't amount to much, life
don't. Ah! hum."

But the Colonel's protest was lost on energetic Mrs. Bruce. She tossed
her comely head and retorted:

"Some folks find their rest in doin' their duty, not in loafin' round
on other people's time and things. Not meaning any disrespect, I'm
sure, but I never did have time to do nothin' in. I'm going right now
and set to work on that dinner. I do wish the girls could see those
baskets, first, though!"

"Leave them untouched, then, Mrs. Bruce. Surely, we had enough
provided before we had this present."

"Yes, Mrs. Calvert, we did have--for our own folks; and counting a
little on the fish the men-folks was to bring in. Seems if they's gone
a dreadful spell, don't it? And I heard that old Cap'n Jack say
something about the Bay. If he's enticed 'em to row out onto that big
water--Oh! dear! I wish they'd come!"

The Colonel roused himself to remark:

"Squalls is right frequent on the Chesapeake. And that old man is no
captain at all. Used to work on an oyster boat and don't know--shucks.
Likely they've had an upset.