Squire Fishley, will come up to-night," added the
captain, more mildly. "You will go to the hotel in Riverport for him,
and bring him up. Take a lantern with you; it will be dark to-night."

Squire Fishley had been a state senator, and the captain regarded him as
one of the greatest men in Wisconsin. I was rather pleased to have his
company home on the lonely ride from Riverport, and I confess that I was
somewhat proud of making the acquaintance of the distinguished
gentleman.

"Don't be in a hurry, Buck," said Ham Fishley, as I picked up the
mail-bag.

I stopped and looked at him, for his tones were more conciliatory than I
had heard him use within my remembrance. I actually flattered myself
that I had conquered a peace.

"I want to ride with you as far as Crofton's," he added. "I have been
very busy getting ready, and haven't had time to black my boots yet.
It's a pretty stylish party I'm going to, and I want to look as
scrumptious as any of them. Will you black them for me? I'll be much
obliged to you if you will."

"Certainly I will, Ham, when you ask me in that way, and glad to do it
for you," I replied, without hesitating an instant.

I took the boots and went to work upon them. There was an unmistakable
smile of triumph on his face as I did so; but I was perfectly satisfied
that the triumph was mine, not his. Doubtless those civil, polite words
were an invention of the enemy, to win my compliance; and Ham,
forgetting that I had not rebelled against the work, but only the
tyrannical style of his order, was weak enough to believe that he had
conquered me. I made up my mind to review the circumstances, and explain
my position to him, on the way to Crofton's.

"Hasn't that letter come yet, Captain Fishley?" asked an ancient maiden
lady, who entered the store while I was polishing Ham's boots.

"I haven't seen anything of it yet, Miss Larrabee," replied the
postmaster.

"Dear me! What shall I do!" exclaimed the venerable spinster. "My
brother, down in Ohio, promised to send me forty dollars; and I want the
money awfully. I was going down to see Jim's folks, but I can't go, nor
nothin', till that money comes. I hain't got nothin' to pay for goin'
with, you see."

"I'm very sorry, Miss Larrabee. Perhaps the letter will come in
to-night's mail," added the captain.

"But the mail don't git in till nine or ten o'clock, and that's after
bedtime. Ethan writ me the money would be here by to-day, at the
furthes