with its bright glory. It was the dynasty of the East, just
then. The eastern mountains sat in stately pride; and their
retainers, the woods, down to the water side, glittered in the
royal green and silver; for on their fresh unsullied leaves
the light played with many a sheen. The other shore was bright
enough still; but the shadows were getting long and the sun
was getting low, and the contrast was softly and constantly
growing.

"It's pretty, aint it, Winthrop?" said Asahel.

"Yes."

"I wonder what's the reason you row so much better than Rufus
-- Rufus bites his lip, and works so, and makes such a splash,
-- and you don't seem as if you worked at all."

"Perhaps because I am stronger," said Winthrop.

"Rufus is strong enough. But that can't be the reason you do
everything better than he does."

"That don't happen to be the state of the case."

"Yes it does; for you always catch the most fish, and papa
said last summer he never saw any one bind and tie as fast as
you did."

Again silently the boat fell down along the shore, a little
dark speck amidst the glow of air and water.

"How nice you look in your white jacket and trousers," said
Asahel.

"I am glad to hear it," said Winthrop laughing. "Is it such an
uncommon thing?"

"It is uncommon for you to look so nice. You must take great
care of them, Winthrop; -- it took mother so long to make
them."

"I have another pair, boy," said Winthrop, biting his lips, as
the boat rounded to the little flight of steps at Cowslip's
mill.

"Yes, but then you know, Karen -- There's the stage, Governor!
-- and the folks are come, I guess. Do you see those heads
poking out of the windows?" --

"You stay here and mind the boat, Asahel."

And Winthrop sprang ashore and went up to the crossing where
the stage-coach had stopped.

At 'Cowslip's mill' there was a sloop landing; a sort of wharf
was built there; and close upon the wharf the mill and storage
house kept and owned by Mr. Cowslip. From this central point a
road ran back over the hills into the country, and at a little
distance it was cut by the high road from Vantassel. Here the
stage had stopped.

By the time Winthrop got there, most of the effects he was to
take charge of had been safely deposited on the ground. Two
young ladies, and a gentleman seeming not far from young,
stood at the end of the coach to watch the success of the
driver and Mr. Cowslip in disinterring sundry trunks and boxes
fro