somewhat inconvenienced by the dust
of a buggy that crawled up and down the hills just a little ahead. The
hood of this buggy was up, upon which fact--it being a May morning of
rollicking wind and sunshine--Dr. Lavendar speculated to his companion:
"Daniel, the man in that vehicle is either blind and deaf, or else he
has something on his conscience; in either case he won't mind our dust,
so we'll cut in ahead at the watering-trough. G'on, Goliath!"

But Goliath had views of his own about the watering-trough, and instead
of passing the hooded buggy, which had stopped there, he insisted upon
drawing up beside it. "Now, look here," Dr. Lavendar remonstrated, "you
know you're not thirsty." But Goliath plunged his nose down into the
cool depths of the great iron caldron, into which, from a hollow log,
ran a musical drip of water. Dr. Lavendar and Danny, awaiting his
pleasure, could hear a murmur of voices from the depths of the eccentric
vehicle which put up a hood on such a day; when suddenly Dr. Lavendar's
eye fell on the hind legs of the other horse. "That's Cipher's trotter,"
he said to himself, and leaning out, cried: "Hi! Cy?" At which the other
horse was drawn in with a jerk, and Captain Price's agitated face
peered out from under the hood.

"Where! Where's Cyrus?" Then he caught sight of Dr. Lavendar. "'_The
devil and Tom Walker!_'" said the Captain, with a groan. The buggy
backed erratically.

"Look out!" said Dr. Lavendar--but the wheels locked.

Of course there was nothing for Dr. Lavendar to do but get out and take
Goliath by the head, grumbling, as he did so, that Cyrus "shouldn't own
such a spirited beast."

"I am somewhat hurried," said Captain Price, stiffly.

The old minister looked at him over his spectacles; then he glanced at
the small, embarrassed figure shrinking into the depths of the buggy.

("Hullo, hullo, hullo!" he said, softly. "Well, Gussie's done it.)
You'd better back a little, Captain," he advised.

"I can manage," said the Captain.

"I didn't say 'go back,'" Dr. Lavendar said, mildly.

"Oh!" murmured a small voice from within the buggy.

"I expect you need me, don't you, Alfred?" said Dr. Lavendar.

"What?" said the Captain, frowning.

"Captain," said Dr. Lavendar, simply, "if I can be of any service to you
and Mrs. North, I shall be glad."

Captain Price looked at him. "Now, look here, Lavendar, we're going to
do it this time, if all the parsons in--well, in the church, try t