floor.

He looked up and colored slightly. The doctor took out a cigarette, lit
it, sat down on the bench, and smoked, clasping one knee in his hands
and eying the boat.

"Centre-board?" he asked, at length.

"Yes," said Eph.

"Cat-rig?"

"Yes."

"Going fishing?"

"Yes."

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"I was brought up to sail a boat," said the doctor, "and I go fishing in
summer--when I get a chance. I shall try your boat, some time."

No reply.

"The timbers aren't seasoned, are they? They look like pitch-pine, just
out of the woods. Won't they warp?"

"No. Pitch-pine goes right in, green. I s'pose the pitch keeps it, if
it's out of the sun."

"Where did you cut it?"

Eph colored a little.

"In my back lot."

The doctor smoked on calmly, and studied the boat.

"I don't know as I know you," said Eph, relaxing a little.

"Good reason," said the doctor. "I 've only been here two years;" and
after a moment's pause, he added: "I am the doctor here, now. You 've
heard of my father, Dr. Burt, of Broad River?"

Eph nodded assent; everybody knew him, all through the country,--a
fatherly old man, who rode on long journeys at everybody's call, and
never sent in his bills.

The visitor had a standing with Eph at once.

"Doctors never pick at folks," he said to himself--"at any rate, not old
Dr. Burt's son.

"I used to come here to see your mother," said the doctor, "when she was
sick. She used to talk a great deal about you, and said she wanted me to
get acquainted with you, when your time was out."

Eph started, but said nothing.

"She was a good woman, Aunt Lois," added the doctor; "one of the best
women I ever saw."

"I don't want anybody to bother himself on my account," said Eph. "I ask
no favors."

"You will have to take favors, though," said the doctor, "before the
winter is over. You will be careless and get sick; you have been living
for a long time entirely in-doors, with regular hours and work and
food. Now you are going to live out-of-doors, and get your own meals,
irregularly. You did n't have on a thick coat the other night, when I saw
you at the store."

"I haven't got any that's large enough for me," said Eph, a little less
harshly, "and I 've got to keep my money for other things."

"Then look out and wear flannel shirts enough," said the doctor, "if you
want to be independent. But before I go, I want to go into the house. I
want my wife to see Aunt Lois's room, and the view from t