me and Issachar swore by all that was
solemn that the animal must not be used.

"Let old Calvin wait till to-morrow," said Issy. "You can use the big
team then. And Cap'n Lote'll be home, besides."

But Albert was not going to let "old Calvin" wait. That lumber was going
to be delivered, if he had to carry it himself, stick by stick. He asked
Mr. Price if an extra team might not be hired.

"Ain't none," said Issy. "Besides, where'd your granddad's profits be
if you spent money hirin' extry teams to haul that little mite of stuff?
I've been in this business a good long spell, and I tell you--"

He did not get a chance to tell it, for Albert walked off and left him.
At half-past twelve that afternoon he engaged "Vessie" Young--christened
Sylvester Young and a brother to the driver of the depot wagon--to
haul the Calvin lumber in his rickety, fragrant old wagon. Simpson
Mullen--commonly called "Simp"--was to help in the delivery.

Against violent protests from Issy, who declared that Ves Young's
rattle-trap wan't fit to do nothin' but haul fish heads to the
fertilizer factory, the Calvin beams and boards were piled high on
the wagon and with Ves on the driver's seat and Simp perched, like a
disreputable carrion crow on top of the load, the equipage started.

"There!" exclaimed Albert, with satisfaction. "He can't say it wasn't
delivered this time according to promise."

"Godfreys!" snorted Issy, gazing after the departing wagon. "He won't be
able to say nothin' when he sees that git-up--and smells it. Ves carts
everything in that cart from dead cows to gurry barrels. Whew! I'd
hate to have to set on that porch when 'twas built of that lumber. And,
unless I'm mistook, Ves and Simp had been havin' a little somethin'
strong to take, too."

Mr. Price, as it happened, was not "mistook." Mr. Young had, as the
South Harniss saying used to be, "had a jug come down" on the train from
Boston that very morning. The jug was under the seat of his wagon and
its contents had already been sampled by him and by Simp. The journey to
the Calvin cottage was enlivened by frequent stops for refreshment.

Consequently it happened that, just as Mrs. Calvin's gathering of
Welfare Workers had reached the cake and chocolate stage in their
proceedings and just as the Reverend Mr. Calvin had risen by invitation
to say a few words of encouragement, the westerly wind blowing in at
the open windows bore to the noses and ears of the assembled fai