ooked down upon the river. In
answer to Bob's hail a colored boy in a red jacket ran out to take the
horses' heads and four black and white fox terriers tore round the
corner barking a chorus of welcome. Bob jumped down with a laughing, "Ah
there, Rufus!" to the horse-boy, and proceeded to roll the excited
little dogs on their backs. As Jeremy and Job dismounted, a big man in
sober gray came to the doorway. His strong, kindly face broke into a
smile as he caught sight of his visitors. "Well, Bob, I'm mightily glad
to see thee back, lad! We got news from the town only yesterday." He
strode down the steps and took the boy's hand in a hearty grip, then
greeted the others, as Bob introduced them. Jeremy marvelled much at the
cut of the man's coat, which was without a collar, and at his continual
use of the plain _thee_ and _thy_. But there was a direct simplicity
about all his ways, and a gentleness in his eyes that won the boy to him
instantly.

One moment only he wandered at John Cantwell. In the next he had
forgotten everything about him and stood open-mouthed, gazing at the
square doorway. In the sun-lit frame of it had appeared a little girl of
twelve. She was dressed demurely in gray, set off with a bit of white
kerchief. Her long skirt hid her toes and her hands were folded most
properly. But above this sober stalk bloomed the fairest face that
Jeremy had ever seen. She had merry hazel eyes, a straight little nose
and a firm little chin. Her plain bonnet had fallen back from her head
and the brown curls that strayed recklessly about her cheeks seemed to
catch all the sunbeams in Delaware.

For a very little time she stood, and then the pursed red mouth could be
controlled no longer. She opened it in a whoop of joy and catching up
her skirts ran to smother Bob in a great hug. Next moment Jeremy, still
in a daze, was bowing over her hand, as he had learned to do at New
Castle. She dropped him a little curtsey and turned to meet Job.

Betty Cantwell and her father were Quakers from the Penn Colony to the
north, Bob had time to tell Jeremy as they entered. That accounted for
the staid simplicity of their dress and their quaint form of speech--the
plain language, as it was called. Jeremy had heard of the Quakers,
though in New England they were much persecuted for their beliefs by the
Puritans. Here, apparently, people not only allowed them to live, but
liked and honored them as well. He prayed fervently that Betty migh