rs were to make
an early start on Monday morning. A fire was built in the brick oven
beside the fireplace, and while it was heating the Goodwife made four
pies and six loaves of brown-bread, and prepared a pot of pork and
beans for baking.

[Illustration]

When the coals had been raked out and the oven filled, she washed
clothes for Daniel and his father, while Nancy hurried to finish a
pair of stockings she was knitting for her brother. Daniel himself,
meanwhile, had gone down to the bay to see if he could find the
shovel and the basket. He came home in triumph about noon with both,
and with quite a number of clams beside, which the Goodwife cooked
for their dinner. When they were seated at the table, and the Goodman
had asked the blessing, he leaned back in his chair and surveyed the
ceiling of the cabin. From the rafters there hung long festoons of
dried pumpkin and golden ears of corn. There were also sausages, hams,
and sides of bacon.

"I doubt not you will fare well while we are gone," he said. "There
is plenty of well-cured meat, and meal enough ground to last for some
time. The planting is done and the corn well hoed; there is wood cut,
and Gran'ther Wattles will call upon you if he knows I am away. I am
leaving the fowling-piece for thee, wife. The musket I shall take with
me."

"Why must Gran'ther Wattles come?" interrupted Nancy in alarm. "I am
sure Mother and I do not need him."

"Children should be seen and not heard," said her father. "It is
Gran'ther Wattles's duty to oversee the congregation at home as well
as in the meeting-house."

Nancy looked at her trencher and said no more, but she thought there
was already enough to bear without having Gran'ther Wattles added to
her troubles. Daniel, meanwhile, had attacked his porringer of clams,
and in his excitement over the journey was gobbling at a fearful rate.
His mother looked at him despairingly.

"Daniel," she said, "thou art pitching food into thy mouth as if thou
wert shoveling coals into the oven! Take thy elbows off the table and
eat more moderately." Daniel glued his elbows to his side. "Sit up
straight," she went on, "or thou wilt grow up as crooked as a ram's
horn." Daniel immediately sat up as if he had swallowed the poker.
"I wish thee to practice proper manners at home, lest my aunt should
think thee a person of no gentility. Remember thou must not ask for
anything at the table. Wait until it is offered thee, and then do
not stuff i