ou any more, remember the old place is still
open for you. It was your own fault, you know, that you went."

"I did not know when I was well off, Master Joseph. I was a fool, that
was all."

"I thought so," replied Master Joseph pithily. "But no matter about that
now--can you do an errand for me?"

"Of course I can--the mistress willing."

"Well, I said I wished to send you on an errand, and she told me where
to find you."

"That is all right then."

"Go to Goodman Buckley's, in Salem village, and ask him for a bundle I
left--bring it to my house, you know, you can take the roan horse
there. And, by the way, Fatty, if you want to stop an hour or two to see
the widow Jones's pretty daughter, I guess no great harm will be done."

Jehosaphat giggled--but then his face clouded. "But Mistress Putnam
wants to take the roan herself this afternoon. The trial comes off, you
know."

"Oh, it is not a trial--it is only an examination. And it is all
fiddlesticks, anyhow. My sister-in-law is ruining her health by all this
witch business. But if she insists upon going, I will lend her one of my
horses. Therefore that need not keep you."

So Jehosaphat, in high glee at having an afternoon's holiday, with the
roan horse, threw on the saddle and mounted.

As he rode at a rapid canter down the lane, Mistress Ann heard the
noise, but supposed it was Master Joseph riding off again,--and did not
even trouble herself to look out of the window, especially as she was
just then changing her gown.

Not long after, coming into the family room, who should she see there,
sitting demurely, reading one of the Reverend Cotton Mather's most
popular sermons, but the same Master Joseph Putnam whom she had thought
she was well rid of.

"I thought you had gone. I surely heard you riding down the lane," she
said in a surprised tone.

"Oh, no, I wanted to speak with you about something."

"Who was it then?--I surely heard some one."

"Perhaps it was one of those spectral horses, with a spectral rider. As
Master Mather says: These are very wonderful and appalling times!" And
the young man laughed a little scornfully.

"Brother Joseph, I do not care to talk with you upon this question. I
greatly regret, as do your brothers and your uncles, that you have gone
over to the infidels and the scoffers."

"And I regret that they are making such fools of themselves," replied
Joseph hotly.

"I have no time to discuss this question, brother Joseph