to his exuberant emotions by rising, and shaking the lad's
passive hand, with the usual highly polite salutation.

"Tell him we're all a-gunter have a ride," said Joe.

But as Fessenden's couldn't tell him loud enough, Joe screamed the news.

"Say?" asked the old man, raising a feeble hand to his ear, and stooping
and smiling.

"Put th' ole house on wheels, an' dror it!" shrieked Joe.

"Yes, yes!" chuckled the old man. "I remember! Six hills in a row.
Busters!"--looking wonderfully knowing, and, with feeble forefinger
raised, nodding and winking at his great-grandchild,--as it were across
the slim gulf of a hundred years which divided the gleeful boyhood of
Joe from the second childhood of the ancient dreamer.

The next day came Adsly and his men again, with Cap'en Slade and his
tackle, and several yokes of oxen with drivers. Levers and screws moved
the house from its foundations, and it was launched upon rollers. Then,
progress! Then, sensation in Timberville! Some said it was Noah's ark,
sailing down the street. The household furniture of the patriarch was
mostly left on board the antique craft, but Noah and his family followed
on foot. They took their live stock with them,--cow and calf, and
poultry and pig. Joe and his great-grandfather carried each a pair of
pullets, in their hands. Gentleman Bill drove the pig, with a rope tied
to his (piggy's) leg. Mr. Williams transported more poultry,--turkeys
and hens, in two great flopping clusters, slung over his shoulder, with
their heads down. The women bore crockery and other frangible articles,
and helped Fessenden's drive the cow. A picturesque procession, not
noiseless! The bosses shouted to the men, the drivers shouted to the
oxen, loud groaned the beams of the ark, the cow lowed, the calf bawled,
great was the squawking and squealing!

Gentleman Bill was sick of the business before they had gone half-way.
He wished he had stayed in the shop, instead of coming over to help the
family, and make himself ridiculous. There was not much pleasure in
driving that stout young porker. Many a sharp jerk lamed the hand that
held the rope that restrained the leg that piggy wanted to run with.
Besides, (as I believe swine and some other folks invariably do under
the like circumstances,) piggy always tried to run in the wrong
direction. To add to Gentleman Bill's annoyance, spectators soon became
numerous, and witty suggestions were not wanting.

"Take him up in your arms,