t Dannie realizing that he had told
all he knew and learned nothing. Then he entered the post office for
the weekly mail. He called for Malone's papers also, and with them came
a slip from the express office notifying Jimmy that there was a package
for him. Dannie went to see if they would let him have it, and as Jimmy
lived in the country, and as he and Dannie were known to be partners,
he was allowed to sign the book, and carry away a long, slender, wooden
box, with a Boston tag. The Thread Man had sent Jimmy a present, and
from the appearance of the box, Dannie made up his mind that it was a
cane.

Straightway he drove home at a scandalous rate of speed, and on the
way, he dressed Jimmy in a broadcloth suit, patent leathers, and a silk
hat. Then he took him to a gold cure, where he learned to abhor whiskey
in a week, and then to the priest, to whom he confessed that he had
lied about the number of coons in the Canoper. And so peace brooded in
Rainbow Bottom, and all of them were happy again. For with the passing
of summer, Dannie had learned that heretofore there had been happiness
of a sort, for them, and that if they could all get back to the old
footing it would be well, or at least far better than it was at
present. With Mary's tongue dripping gall, and her sweet face souring,
and Jimmy hearing devils, no wonder poor Dannie overheated his team in
a race to carry a package that promised to furnish some diversion.

Jimmy and Mary heard the racket, and standing on the celery hill, they
saw Dannie come clattering up the lane, and as he saw them, he stood in
the wagon, and waved the package over his head.

Jimmy straightened with a flourish, stuck the spade in the celery hill,
and descended with great deliberation. "I mintioned to Dannie this
morning," he said "that it was about time I was hearin' from the Thrid
Man."

"Oh! Do you suppose it is something from Boston?" the eagerness in
Mary's voice made it sound almost girlish again.

"Hunt the hatchet!" hissed Jimmy, and walked very leisurely into the
cabin.

Dannie was visibly excited as he entered. "I think ye have heard from
the Thread Mon," he said, handing Jimmy the package.

Jimmy took it, and examined it carefully. He never before in his life
had an express package, the contents of which he did not know. It
behooved him to get all there was out of the pride and the joy of it.

Mary laid down the hatchet so close that it touched Jimmy's hand, to
remind