e was the scene of action for the two ladies. Walking daintily
over the warm mud with their bare feet, which however white and
twinkling at first were soon obliged to yield to circumstances;
disturbing the little shell-fish--who in turn disturbed them, by very
titillating little attacks upon the aforesaid feet,--Mrs. Derrick and
Faith marched up to the edge of the grass and there sought for clam
holes. The war went on after this fashion. A clam hole being found, the
hoe was struck far down into the mud to _unearth_ the inhabitant; which
the clam resenting, spit up into the intruder's face. But the
intruder--proof against such small fire--repeated the strokes, and the
clam was soon brought to light and tumbled ignominiously into the
basket,--to be followed every second or two by another of his
companions; for the clam holes were many. The basket was soon full, but
not before the cool ripple of the tide had passed the muscle rocks and
was fast coming in-shore.

"Well I do think play's hard work!" said Mrs. Derrick, bringing herself
once more to an erect position--"I told Dr. Harrison so this morning.
How you and Mr. Linden stand it, Faith, I don't know."

"What, mother?" said Faith, making a descent upon another promising
clam shell. But Mrs. Derrick always preferred to go on with her remarks.

"It's good he's doing it, for his own sake, I guess," she said,--"he's
done nothing but work ever since he came to Pattaquasset."

"Doing what, mother?" said Faith. "What _are_ you talking of?"

"Why I'm talking of you, child!" said her mother,--"you and Mr. Linden.
One of you played all the morning and the other's going to play all the
afternoon. But I think you've done enough, Faith--it won't do to get
sick so long as we've nobody but Dr. Harrison to depend on. I don't
believe _he_'s much of a doctor."

"Played all the morning?" said Faith taking up her basket,--"it was
better than play to me. I wish I could do something for _him_, mother!"

Very gravely, and even a little sorrowfully, the last words were said.

"Why yes," said Mrs. Derrick stoutly. "Never tell me it's anything but
play to teach you, child--he didn't look as if it was, neither. I
thought he got his pay as he went along."

Faith knew he had looked so; but that was not Faith--it was Mr. Linden,
in her account.

"Dr. Harrison ought to be a good doctor, mother," she remarked, leaving
the subject. "He has had chance enough."

"La, child," said Mrs. Derrick