chelor Lot was unusually thoughtful.

"Heh!" said he, in his thin drawl. "The Lord knew he was seafe
enough--knew he'd a been seafe enough if he'd a said tew; knew he'd a
been seafe enough if he'd a said eone, for there's his own statement to
the effect--heh!--that there wasn't a righteous man eanywhere, no, not
eone."

"Not much leeway, that's a fact, Bachelder," said Captain Sartell, who
had an embarrassed way, particularly when discussing subjects of a
religious nature, of twisting his powerful blonde head about, and
swallowing very hard. "D----d little leeway, I must confess,--wall--all
the same for you and me, Bachelder."

Bachelor Lot smiled a little.

"Heh! What was it about that couple, Almiry (Grandma Keeler) was tellin'
about--Antynias and Sapfiry--heh, Captain? What streuck 'em eany way? It
wasn't because they went out o' meetin', was it? I think it would be a
satisfaction to the company, Captain, if you would relate the
circumstance."

The brave and honest captain craned his neck about with several hard
gulps.

"Wall, to tell the truth, Bachelder, I ain't quite so well posted with
the Old Testament as I be with the New, but," he continued, resolutely,
"if it would be any favor to the company--as near as I calkalate, this
ere Antynias heered that the Lord was a goin' by, and, as near as I
calkalate, he clim' up in a tree to see him pass." The captain writhed
fearfully, but did not flinch, "And, as near as I calkalate, he got on to
a rotten limb, and it let him down. That is," he remarked, with
concluding agony, "as near as I calkalate."

"Heh! yees, much obleeged, I'm sure," said Bachelor Lot. "I, heh! I
recall the anecdote now, perfectly, but wheere--wheere was Sapf_i_ry?"

"Wall," the captain gave a gulp that actually brought the tears to his
eyes; "as near as I calkalate, Sapf_i_ry was under the limb."

"Certainly," said Bachelor Lot; "certainly! and a veery unfortunate
poseetion for Sapf_i_ry it was, too. I weesh you would be so kind as to
eenform the company in what part of the Sacred Writ this little anecdote
is recorded, Captain, as I for one should very much leike to look it up."

Captain Sartell took a determined step forward. "Look y' here,
Bachelder," said he; "I don't want no hard words betwixt you and me, for
there never has been. But a man's word is a man's word, and a man's
friends had ought to stick by it, and I want you to understand that, on
this ere point, I ain't agoin' to have