f September in Maine.

In order to raise a little pocket money, Addison and Halstead carried
their melons, also several bushels of good eating apples and pears, to
the town-house at the village, early on election day, and rigged a
little "booth" for selling from. They set off by sunrise, with old Nancy
harnessed in the express wagon.

As I had no part in the planting of the melons, I was not a partner in
the sales, although Gramp allowed me to go to the town-meeting with him,
later in the forenoon. The distance was seven miles from the farm.

The boys sold thirty melons at ten cents apiece and disposed of the most
of the apples at two for a cent and pears at a cent apiece; so that the
combined profits amounted to rather over seven dollars. Sales were so
good, that they had disposed of their entire stock by three o'clock in
the afternoon.

The polls were not closed, however, till sunset, that is to say voting
could legally continue till that time. Halse had called on Addison for a
division of the money, at about three o'clock, and received his share;
he then told Addison that he was going home. Addison preferred to
remain, to learn how the town had voted; for he was much interested in a
"temperance movement" which was agitating that portion of the State that
year.

The Old Squire had returned home, shortly after noon, and gone into the
field to see to the digging of the potatoes. When we came in to supper,
at six o'clock, Addison was just coming up the lane, on his way home.

"No doubt Williams is elected!" were his first words.

Williams was the Republican and Temperance candidate for representative
to the State legislature. Addison was much elated; and after we sat down
to supper, he began telling Theodora about the town-meeting; for some
moments none of us noticed that one chair was empty. Then Gram said,
"Where's Halstead?"

"I don't know," said the Old Squire, suddenly glancing at the vacant
seat. "Didn't he come home with you, Addison?"

"No, sir," replied Ad. "He went home afoot, a little while after you
left; at any rate he said that he was going home. I haven't seen him
since."

"I don't think he has come home," said Theodora. "I haven't seen him at
the house."

"Well, he said he was coming home, and I gave him his part of the melon
and apple money," replied Addison. "That's all I know about it."

We thought it likely that he would come during the evening, but he did
not, and we all, particularly