with a sort of hoe
thing and puts them in a pail. He was doing it yesterday; I saw
him."

Jed's eyes twinkled at the word "unplants," but another thought
occurred to him.

"You wasn't out on those clam flats alone, was you?" he asked,
addressing Barbara.

She nodded. "Petunia and I went all alone," she said. "It was
kind of wet so we took off our shoes and stockings and paddled.
I--I don't know's I remembered to tell you that part, Mamma," she
added, hastily. "I--I guess it must have slipped my mind."

But Mrs. Armstrong was watching Jed's face.

"Was there any danger?" she asked, quickly.

Jed hesitated before answering. "Why," he drawled, "I--I don't
know as there was, but--well, the tide comes in kind of slow off ON
the flats, but it's liable to fill up the channels between them and
the beach some faster. Course if you know the wadin' places it's
all right, but if you don't it's--well, it's sort of uncomfortable,
that's all."

The lady's cheeks paled a bit, but she did not exclaim, nor as Jed
would have said "make a fuss." She said, simply, "Thank you, I
will remember," and that was the only reference she made to the
subject of the "clam field."

Miss Barbara, to whom the events of dead yesterdays were of no
particular concern compared to those of the vital and living to-
day, was rummaging among the stock.

"Mamma," she cried, excitedly, "here is a whale fish like the one I
was going to buy for Captain Hedge. Come and see it."

Mrs. Armstrong came and was much interested. She asked Jed
questions concerning the "whale fish" and others of his creations.
At first his replies were brief and monosyllabic, but gradually
they became more lengthy, until, without being aware of it, he was
carrying on his share of a real conversation. Of course, he
hesitated and paused and drawled, but he always did that, even when
talking with Captain Sam Hunniwell.

He took down and exhibited his wares one by one. Barbara asked
numberless questions concerning each and chattered like a red
squirrel. Her mother showed such a genuine interest in his work
and was so pleasant and quiet and friendly, was, in short, such a
marked contrast to Mrs. George Powless, that he found himself
actually beginning to enjoy the visit. Usually he was glad when
summer folks finished their looking and buying and went away; but
now, when Mrs. Armstrong glanced at the clock on the shelf, he was
secretly glad that that clock had not go