ad been using her most persuasive powers
of coaxing on 'Zekiel and with same success, for 'Zekiel told quite a
long story, but with very little information in it. He told the crowd of
girls gathered about him that he'd be twenty-eight on the third of
January, and that ever since he was a little boy, which was, of course,
before any of those present were born, he'd always followed the rule of
not saying anything unless he knew what he was talking about.

"Now," said 'Zekiel, feeling that it was better to talk on than to stand
sheep-facedly before this crowd of eager, expectant faces, "I might tell
yer that Huldy was ter hum and wasn't comin' up to-night, but yer see,
p'r'aps she's on the road now and may pop in here any minute! Course you
all know Deacon Mason's got a boarder, a young feller from the city.
P'r'aps he'll come up with Huldy. But I heerd tell his health wa'n't
very good and mebbe he went to bed right after supper."

"What's he down here for anyway?" asked Tilly James.

"Now you've got me," replied 'Zekiel. "I s'pose he had some purpose in
view, but you see I ain't positive even of that. As I said before, I
heerd he's come down here for his health. It's too late for rakin' hay,
and as hard work's the best country doctor, p'r'aps he'll go to choppin'
wood; but there's one point I feel kinder positive on."

"What is it? What is it?" cried the girls, as they looked into his face
inquiringly.

"Wall, I think," drawled 'Zekiel, "that when he gits what he's come for,
he'll be mighty apt to pull up stakes and go back to Boston."

Again the outer door creaked upon its hinges, and again every face was
turned to see who the new-comer might be.

"Here she is," cried a dozen voices; and the owners thereof rushed
forward to greet and embrace Miss Huldy Mason, the Deacon's daughter and
the most popular girl in the village.

'Zekiel turned and saw that she was alone. Evidently the city fellow had
not come with her.

Huldy was somewhat astonished at the warmth of her greeting, and was at
a loss to understand the reason for it, until Lindy Putnam said:

"Didn't he come with you?"

"Who?" asked Huldy, with wide-open eyes.

"Oh, you can't fool us," cried Tilly James. "'Zeke Pettengill told us
all about that city feller that's boarding down to your house. We were
just talking it over together, and he surmised that it might be the same
one that you met down to your aunt's house, when you went to Boston last
summer.