and vanes, like a battleship in a narrow
channel, was loftily inspecting the stock through her lorgnette.
Her husband, his walking stick under his arm and his hands in his
pockets, was not even making the pretense of being interested; he
was staring through the seaward window toward the yard and the old
house.

"These are really quite extraordinary," the lady announced, after a
moment. "George, you really should see these extraordinary
things."

George was, evidently, not interested. He continued to look out of
the window.

"What are they?" he asked, without turning.

"Oh, I don't know. All sorts of queer dolls and boats--and
creatures, made of wood. Like those outside, you know--er--
teetotums, windmills. Do come and look at them."

Mr. Powless did not comply. He said "Umph" and that was all.

"George," repeated Mrs. Powless, "do you hear me? Come and look at
them."

And George came. One might have inferred that, when his wife spoke
like that, he usually came. He treated a wooden porpoise to a
thoroughly wooden stare and repeated his remark of "Umph!"

"Aren't they extraordinary!" exclaimed his wife. "Does this man
make them himself, I wonder?"

She seemed to be addressing her husband, so Jed did not answer.

"Do you?" demanded Mr. Powless.

"Yes," replied Jed.

Mrs. Powless said "Fancy!" Mr. Powless strolled back to the
window.

"This view is all right, Mollie," he observed. "Better even than
it is from the street. Come and see."

Mrs. Powless went and saw. Jed stood still and stared miserably.

"Rather attractive, on the whole, don't you think, dear?" inquired
the gentleman. "Must be very decent in the yard there."

The lady did not reply, but she opened the door and went out,
around the corner of the shop and into the back yard. Her husband
trotted after her. The owner of the property, gazing pathetically
through the window, saw them wandering about the premises, looking
off at the view, up into the trees, and finally trying the door of
the old house and peeping in between the slats of the closed
blinds. Then they came strolling back to the shop. Jed, drawing a
long breath, prepared to face the ordeal.

Mrs. Powless entered the shop. Mr. Powless remained by the door.
He spoke first.

"You own all this?" he asked, indicating the surrounding country
with a wave of his cane. Jed nodded.

"That house, too?" waving the point of the cane toward the Winslow
cottage.

"Yes