sion train is--"

"Now what kind of talk's that! I ain't complainin' 'cause you save the
expense. And I don't care if you go along with all the old men from here
to Joppa. What I'm sayin' is that I'm goin' to that Fair tomorrow. I can
go alone in the cars, I guess. There won't nobody kidnap me, as I know
of."

"But, Kenelm, I don't like to have you over there all by yourself. It'll
be so lonesome for you. If you'll only wait maybe I'll go again, myself.
Maybe we could both go together on Saturday."

"I don't want to go Saturday; I want to go tomorrow. Tomorrow's the
big day, when they have the best horse-racin'. Why, Darius Holt is
cal'latin' to make money tomorrow. He's got ten dollars bet on Exie B.
in the second race and--"

"Kenelm Parker! Is THAT what you want to go to that Cattle Show for? To
bet on horse trots! To gamble!"

"Aw, dry up. How'd I gamble? You don't let me have money enough to put
in the collection box Sundays, let alone gamblin'. I have to shove my
fist clear way down to the bottom of the plate whenever they pass it
for fear Heman Daniels'll see that I'm only lettin' go of a nickel. Aw,
Hannah, have some sense, won't you! I'd just as soon go to that Fair
alone as not. I won't be lonesome. Lots of folks I know are goin'; men
and women, too."

"Women? What women?"

"Oh, I don't know. How should I know?"

"Well--well, I suppose likely they are. Imogene said she was goin'
and--"

"Imogene! You mean that hired inmate over to Thankful Barnes'? Humph!
So she told you she was goin', hey? Well, most likely she told a fib. I
wouldn't trust her not to; sassy, impudent thing! I don't believe she's
goin' at all. Is she, Cap'n Bangs?"

The captain, who had remained silent during this family jar, could not
resist the temptation.

"Oh yes, Imogene's goin'," he answered, cheerfully. "She's countin' on
havin' the time of her life over there. But she isn't the only one.
Why, about all the females in East Wellmouth'll be there. I heard Abbie
Larkin arrangin' for her passage with Winnie S. yesterday afternoon. Win
said, 'Judas priest!' He didn't know where he was goin' to put her, but
he cal'lated he'd have to find stowage room somewhere. Oh, Kenelm won't
be lonesome, Hannah. I shouldn't worry about that."

Kenelm looked as if he wished the speaker might choke. Hannah
straightened in her chair.

"Hum!" she mused. "Hum!" and was silent for a moment. Then she asked:

"Is Mrs. Thankful goin', too? I supp