on preparing for her to the end of his days, and it was a shock to
him to hear that the work of preparation, in which he had been
interested for so many years, and in which he had so frequently
assisted, should now be brought suddenly to a close.

"'Ready!' he ejaculated. 'I wouldn't have believed it if ye hadn't told
me yourself. And yet, come to think of it, I can't see for the life of
me what else you can do for her.'

"'There ain't nothin' else,' said Abner, 'and on Monday mornin' I'm
settin' out to look for her.'

"'Do you go by land or by water?' asked Sam.

"'Land,' was the answer. 'There ain't no chance of runnin' across her by
sea.'

"'And how are you goin'? Walkin'?'

"'No, sir,' said Abner. 'I'm goin' to hire a horse and a buggy. That's
how I'm goin'.'

"'And where are you goin' to steer fust?' asked Sam.

"'I'm goin' fust to Thompsontown, and after I've took my observations
there I'll fetch a compass and sail every which way, if need be. There's
lots of people of all sorts in Thompsontown, and I don't see why she
shouldn't be one of them.'

"'No more do I,' said Sam Twitty. 'I think it's more'n likely she'll be
one of them.'

"Very early the next morning, almost before the first streaks of dawn,
Captain Abner was awakened by a voice under his window.

"'Shipmate ahoy!' said the voice, which was Sam Twitty's. In a moment
Abner's head was out of the window.

"'Cap'n Abner,' said Sam, 'I'm goin' with you.'

"Abner did not immediately answer, but presently he replied: 'Look here,
Sam Twitty; you come around after breakfast and tell me that ag'in.'

"Promptly after breakfast Sam appeared.

"'Look a' here,' said Captain Abner, when they had lighted their morning
pipes, 'that ain't a bad notion of yours. Somethin' might turn up when
I'd want advice, and you might give me some like you gave me about the
king conch-shell and the gilded idol. It ain't a bad idea, and, as you
say so, I'd like you to come along.'

"Sam did not reply with the alacrity that might have been expected of
him. He puffed silently at his pipe and gazed upon the ground. 'You said
you was a-goin' in a buggy,' he remarked.

"'Yes; that's what I'm expectin' to do.'

"'Then how am I to get back?' inquired Sam.

"'That's so,' said Abner. 'I never thought of that.'

"'Look a' here, cap'n,' said Abner; 'what do you say to a spring-wagon
with seats for four, two in front, and two behind?'

"This suited Captain Abner, and Sam w