ght that Lightning had got unhitched,' said he, 'but he's only a
little uneasy. Good night, Mr. Swift, I'll be up here with the brown
mare bright and early next Wednesday. The boys agreed to meet at the hay
scales, at ten o'clock, and start from there, but the mare's so slow,
I'll have to be in time. Could you get ready by half past nine, Dimpey?'

I said I could, and felt very happy that Ned had come back. So he said
good night to me and the boys, and went off. When he was gone, Joe spoke
out:

'I wonder if one of the Hassels ever told the truth; if he did, I guess
it was by accident. Ned knew well enough that nothing ailed his horse,
but he was so mad, he had to go out doors, for fear he'd boil over. If I
was you, Dimpey, I wouldn't encourage him to come here much; for he's as
deceitful as a cat-a-mountain!'

'Yes,' said father, 'I am afraid he's a chip of the old block; but I've
passed my word you shall go with him, Dimpey, and I won't take it back,
though I'd rather see you keep company with any other young man in
Preston; that's a fact! I promised your Uncle Ezra I'd never have any
more angry words with old Hassel, and I don't mean to. But I don't care
to have any further dealings with the family than I can help. They're a
slippery set. Reach me the Bible, Dimpey! and I'll get ready for bed.'

So father read the psalm, 'Fret not thyself because of evil doers.' I
think he picked it out on purpose; and then he prayed that we might all
lead better lives, and live in Christian fellowship with each other.

Now the truth was, he and Mr. Hassel had quarrelled long ago, about some
land that Mr. Hassel had sold him. The title wasn't good, and father
always thought Mr. Hassel knew it when he sold the land. They had a
great many words about it, and put it into law; and father went to a
good deal of expense and trouble. He and Mr. Hassel didn't speak for
some time. But Uncle Ezra talked to him, and got him to be reconciled to
his enemy. It all happened when I was a child, and I never just knew the
rights of it. But I know that father was very glad when Mr. Hassel sold
his farm joining ours, and bought another at the foot of Spring
Mountain, where he has lived ever since. It troubled me very much that
our folks felt so set against the family; for Ned was the best-looking
young man in our place, and had such a dashing sort of a way with him,
that he took my fancy considerable, and I must confess I was rather
blind to his fau