who took the apple and looked at you all the while!"

"She has an eye for contrast," he said laughing, "and is probably
wondering why all people can't look alike!"

Faith did not secretly blame her, but she left that subject.

It was to the furthest point of their round that they went
now,--another fisherman's house--far, far off, on the shore. A little
larger than Reuben's, but not so neatly kept; as indeed how could it
be? with so many children,--or how could the house hold them, in those
times of weather when they condescended to stay in! They were in pretty
good order, to do their mother justice, and she in great delight at the
sight of her visiters. There was no room for silence here--or at least
no silence in the room, for Mrs. Ling was never at a loss for words.
And there was no need of much circumlocution in presenting the
turkey,--nothing but pleasure could come of it, let it enter on which
foot it would; and the train of potatoes, and tea, and bread, and other
things, fairly made Mrs. Ling's eyes shine,--though she talked away as
fast as ever. The children were in spirits too great to be got rid of
in any ordinary way, especially the youngest walking Ling; whose turn
having not yet come for a pair of shoes from his father's pocket, was
now to be fitted out of Mr. Linden's sleigh. And the shoes did fit--and
little Japhet marked his sense of the obligation by at once requesting
Faith to tie them. Which Faith did in a state of delight too great for
words.

"Now what do you feel like?" she said, when Japhet was fairly shod and
she still stooping at his feet.

"I feel like a king!" said Japhet promptly,--which had been the height
of his unrepublican ambition for some time.

"Dear sakes!" said his mother, who had heard the child's request too
late to interfere,--"I hope you'll not mind him, ma'am,--he oughter
know better, but he don't. And poor things, when they gets pleased--it
aint often, you see, ma'am, so I can't be hard upon 'em. Do you feel
warm?--we do make out to keep warm, most times."

"I am quite warm, thank you; but I should think you'd feel the wind
down here. Japhet,"--said Faith, who had brought in her basket of
varieties and whose quiet eyes were fairly in a dance with fun and
delight,--"which do you think kings like best--cookies or candy?"

To which Japhet with equal promptness replied,

"Candy--and cookies."

"Don't!"--his mother said again,--but the basket of varieties looked
almost a