walk."

I heard Kate pleasantly refuse the offer of pay for her services, and
then they began to come down the steep stairs laughing and chattering
with each other. Kate stayed behind to close the doors and leave
everything all right, and the girl who had talked the most waited too,
and when they were on the stairs just above me, and the others out of
hearing, she said, "You're real good to show us the things. I guess
you'll think I'm silly, but I do like you ever so much! I wish you would
come to Boston. I'm in a real nice store,--H----'s, on Winter Street;
and they will want new saleswomen in October. Perhaps you could be at my
counter. I'd teach you, and you could board with me. I've got a real
comfortable room, and I suppose I might have more things, for I get good
pay; but I like to send money home to mother. I'm at my aunt's now, but
I am going back next Monday, and if you will tell me what your name is,
I'll find out for certain about the place, and write you. My name's Mary
Wendell."

I knew by Kate's voice that this had touched her. "You are very kind;
thank you heartily," said she; "but I cannot go and work with you. I
should like to know more about you. I live in Boston too; my friend and
I are staying over in Deephaven for the summer only." And she held out
her hand to the girl, whose face had changed from its first expression
of earnest good-humor to a very startled one; and when she noticed
Kate's hand, and a ring of hers, which had been turned round, she looked
really frightened.

"O, will you please excuse me?" said she, blushing. "I ought to have
known better; but you showed us round so willing, and I never thought of
your not living here. I didn't mean to be rude."

"Of course you did not, and you were not. I am very glad you said it,
and glad you like me," said Kate; and just then the party called the
girl, and she hurried away, and I joined Kate. "Then you heard it all.
That was worth having!" said she. "She was such an honest little soul,
and I mean to look for her when I get home."

Sometimes we used to go out to the Light early in the morning with the
fishermen who went that way to the fishing-grounds, but we usually made
the voyage early in the afternoon if it were not too hot, and we went
fishing off the rocks or sat in the house with Mrs. Kew, who often
related some of her Vermont experiences, or Mr. Kew would tell us
surprising sea-stories and ghost-stories like a story-book sailor. Then