n way," said the Captain; "but that
was to show what a great witch she was."

"But this was a good enchanter," said Mara, "and he did it all by a book
and a rod."

"Yes, yes," said the Captain; "that ar's the gen'l way magicians do,
ever since Moses's time in Egypt. 'Member once I was to Alexandria, in
Egypt, and I saw a magician there that could jist see everything you
ever did in your life in a drop of ink that he held in his hand."

"He could, father!"

"To be sure he could! told me all about the old folks at home; and
described our house as natural as if he'd a-been there. He used to
carry snakes round with him,--a kind so p'ison that it was certain death
to have 'em bite you; but he played with 'em as if they was kittens."

"Well," said Mara, "my enchanter was a king; and when he got through all
he wanted, and got his daughter married to the beautiful young prince,
he said he would break his staff, and deeper than plummet sounded he
would bury his book."

"It was pretty much the best thing he could do," said the Captain,
"because the Bible is agin such things."

"Is it?" said Mara; "why, he was a real good man."

"Oh, well, you know, we all on us does what ain't quite right sometimes,
when we gets pushed up," said the Captain, who now began arranging the
clams and sliced potatoes in alternate layers with sea-biscuit, strewing
in salt and pepper as he went on; and, in a few moments, a smell,
fragrant to hungry senses, began to steam upward, and Sally began
washing and preparing some mammoth clam-shells, to serve as ladles and
plates for the future chowder.

Mara, who sat with her morsel of a book in her lap, seemed deeply
pondering the past conversation. At last she said, "What did you mean by
saying you'd seen 'em act that at a theatre?"

"Why, they make it all seem real; and they have a shipwreck, and you see
it all jist right afore your eyes."

"And the Enchanter, and Ariel, and Caliban, and all?" said Mara.

"Yes, all on't,--plain as printing."

"Why, that is by magic, ain't it?" said Mara.

"No; they hes ways to jist make it up; but,"--added the Captain, "Sally,
you needn't say nothin' to your ma 'bout the theatre, 'cause she
wouldn't think I's fit to go to meetin' for six months arter, if she
heard on't."

"Why, ain't theatres good?" said Sally.

"Wal', there's a middlin' sight o' bad things in 'em," said the
Captain, "that I must say; but as long as folks _is_ folks, why, they
will be _fo