ckpole again for tax collector against Obadiah Strout."

"Is your name Smith?" asked Quincy, advancing with the letters in his
hand.

"Yes," replied the young man, "my name is Abbott Smith. My dad's name is
'Bias; he is pretty well known 'round these parts."

"I have heard of him," said Quincy, "and I wish to see him and Mr.
Stackpole together. Can you come over for me next Wednesday morning and
bring Mr. Stackpole with you? I can talk to him going back, and I want
you to drive us over to your father's place. Don't say anything about it
except to Mr. Stackpole and your father, but I am going to take a hand
in town politics this year."

The young man laughed and said, "I will be over here by eight o'clock
next Wednesday."

"I wish you would have these letters weighed at the post office, and if
any more stamps are needed please put them on. Take what is left for
your trouble," and Quincy passed Abbott a half dollar.

He heard the retreating carriage wheels as he went upstairs to his room.
He made an entry in his pocket diary, and then ran his eye over several
others that preceded and followed it.

"Let me see," soliloquized he, as he read aloud, "this is Friday;
Saturday, expect war records from Adjutant-General; Monday, hear from
Ernst, surprise party in the evening; Tuesday, get money at express
office; Tuesday afternoon, buy Hill's grocery and give Strout his first
knock-out; Wednesday, see Stackpole and Smith and arrange to knock
Strout out again; Thursday, Dr. Tillotson." He laughed and closed the
book. Then he said, "And the city fellows think it must be dull down
here because there is nothing going on in a country town in the
winter."

CHAPTER XXV.

SOME PLAIN FACTS AND INFERENCES.

The next day was Saturday; the sun did not show itself from behind the
clouds till noon, and Quincy put off his trip to the Eastborough Centre
post office with the hope that the afternoon would be pleasant. His wish
was gratified, and at dinner he said he was going to drive over to
Eastborough Centre, and asked Miss Pettengill if she would not like to
accompany him. Alice hesitated, but Uncle Ike advised her to go, telling
her that she stayed indoors too much and needed outdoor exercise.
Ezekiel agreed with his uncle, and Alice finally gave what seemed to
Quincy to be a somewhat reluctant consent.

He saw that the sleigh was amply supplied with robes, and Mandy, at his
suggestion, heated a large piece of soap-stone