p and down in the launch
looking as if he wanted to cut in, but dasn't. I tied the bills to
my jack-knife, to give 'em weight, and tossed the whole thing ashore.
Becky, she counted the cash and stowed it away in her apron pocket.

"ALL right," says she. "Hi, Rosa!" The potater and pan performance begun
again, and Rosa picked up her hoofs and dragged us to dry land. And it
sartinly felt good to the feet.

"Say," I says, "Becky, it's none of my affairs, as I know of, but is
that the way you usually start that horse of yours?"

She said it was. And Rosa ate the potater.

Becky asked me how to stop the launch, and I told her. She made a lot
of finger signs to Lonesome, and inside of five minutes the Greased
Lightning was anchored in front of us. Old man Huckleberries was still
hankering to interview Todd with the pitchfork, but Becky settled that
all right. She jumped in front of him, and her eyes snapped and her feet
stamped and her fingers flew. And 'twould have done you good to see her
dad shrivel up and get humble. I always had thought that a woman wasn't
much good as a boss of the roost unless she could use her tongue, but
Becky showed me my mistake. Well, it's live and l'arn.

Then Miss Huckleberries turned to us and smiled.

"ALL right," says she; "GOO'-by."

Them Todds took the train for the city next morning. I drove 'em to the
depot. James was kind of glum, but Clarissa talked for two. Her opinion
of the Cape and Capers, 'specially me, was decided. The final blast was
just as she was climbing the car steps.

"Of all the barbarians," says she; "utter, uncouth, murdering barbarians
in--"

She stopped, thinking for a word, I s'pose. I didn't feel that I could
improve on Becky Huckleberries conversation much, so I says:

"ALL right! GOO'-by!"

THE MARK ON THE DOOR

One nice moonlight evening me and Cap'n Jonadab and Peter T., having,
for a wonder, a little time to ourselves and free from boarders, was
setting on the starboard end of the piazza, smoking, when who should
heave in sight but Cap'n Eri Hedge and Obed Nickerson. They'd come
over from Orham that day on some fish business and had drove down to
Wellmouth Port on purpose to put up at the Old Home for the night and
shake hands with me and Jonadab. We was mighty glad to see 'em, now I
tell you.

They'd had supper up at the fish man's at the Centre, so after Peter T.
had gone in and fetched out a handful of cigars, we settled back for a