the Squire, with another glance at Faith, "it's not so hard
to find things, neither, Miss Danforth. You remember Sinbad the sailor
lookin' down into the vale of diamonds?"

"Don't remember him a bit. What did he see there?"

"Nothin' _but_ diamond jewellery," said Squire Deacon in a sentimental
tone. "Miss Faith, you doubtless recollect the tale?"

"I hope," said Mr. Somers,--"ha!--friend Deacon--you don't mean that
Mr. Linden should look for a valley of diamonds in Pattaquasset?"

"Whereabouts does the valley lie, sir?" said Mr. Linden.

But the Squire, as if a new idea had struck him, replied somewhat
brusquely,

"It don't lie nowheres, sir, nowheres but in fancy's field."

"I suppose," said Mr. Somers smiling blandly, "Mr. Linden's peculiar
course of business don't lead him much into that field."

"You can strike into it 'most anywhere," said Miss Danforth. "Mr.
Linden's an early man--he'll find the valley of diamonds, if it's in
the town."

"Miss Faith told me there were stones enough here," he said, "but she
did not hint that any of them were precious."

"We shall expect," said Mr. Somers, "to see some of our stones--I mean,
some of our hard heads and thick heads--grow precious,
or--a--improve!--under Mr. Linden's management."

"Pray sir," said Squire Deacon, suddenly recollecting that he was a
'trusty,' "what do you consider the best plan for the instruction of
youth? what is your method?"

Mr. Linden looked contemplatively out of the window.

"I think sir, if the boys are very rough I should first teach them
manners. If they are smoother boys, I should teach them spelling,--if
they have already learned spelling, I should let them read."

The Squire bowed.

"Quite satisfactory, sir. Mr. Somers--I think perhaps Mr. Linden would
like to visit our little temple of litteratur."

"I should be very gratified to accompany Mr. Linden in viewing so much
of Pattaquasset. I trust, Mr. Linden, that the highest--ha--the moral
and religious teaching, of the youth here, will not be quite overlooked
in your system."

The reply that first rose to Mr. Linden's lips came not forth. He
checked himself--rather perhaps in deference to the subject than
anything else, and simply answered,

"I trust not, sir."

And with many low bows from the Squire, the two gentlemen went into the
hall, Mr. Linden following. But he came back the next moment to ask the
dinner hour.

"We are as apt to have it at noon as any time,