of the buggy. 'I am so glad to see you,' he
said.

"She laughed outright. 'It is awfully funny,' answered she, 'that you
care whether you see me or not.'

"'I don't think it's funny at all,' said Sam. 'But jes let me ask you
one thing: what's the name of the toll-gate woman?'

"'Well, I declare!' she exclaimed. 'From the way she talked about you I
thought you were old friends. Her name is Mrs. Sickles.'

"Sam skipped over to the young clergyman and put his question:
'Mr-r-r.?'

"'Rippledean,' said the young man.

"In an instant the quick-slippered Sam had joined the party in the bonds
of conventional acquaintanceship, having added to the rest of his
information the fact that he was Samuel Twitty of Shamrick.

"'You are the funniest people I ever met,' exclaimed the lively Denby
girl. 'None of you seems to know the rest.'

"'It is very pleasant to know each other, I am sure,' remarked the
toll-gate woman; 'and if I had anything to say about what would be
agreeable on such a breezy afternoon as this, now that there's a party
of us, I would say it would be to get a boat and take a sail on this
sparkling water.'

"'A sail!' cried Sam. 'Why, that will be the best thing in the world,
and if you'll wait ten minutes I'll get a boat. Cap'n Silas Peck is a
friend of mine, and has got two boats that ain't likely to be out. I'll
run down and get one, and have it here in no time.'

"In less than a quarter of an hour the party was seated in Captain
Peck's sail-boat, Captain Abner at the tiller, and Sam Twitty in charge
of the sheet. They decided to sail out to an island about three miles
from shore. A stiff breeze was blowing, and Captain Abner was in his
glory. The wind was much too high for ordinary pleasure-boats, and there
were no other sails upon the bay; but summer visitors and seafaring men
stood along the beach and watched the admirable manner in which that
little craft was handled. Word was passed from one to another that it
was Captain Abner Budlong of Shamrick who was at the tiller; many of the
watchers had heard of Captain Abner and what he had done in days gone
by, and they were proud to see what their neighbor of Shamrick was doing
now.

"Mrs. Sickles sat beaming, both hands grasping the rail and her feet
firmly braced, but with an expression of perfect trust, as she gazed
from Captain Abner to Sam Twitty, which would have been edifying to any
one of weak habits of faith. The younger woman's hat was off, a