had walked down and stood looking
on.

"But I haven't got any books!" said Elizabeth suddenly when
she was invited to get in herself. "Won't the book-box go?"

"Is it that 'ere big board box?" inquired Mr. Cowslip. "Won't
do! It's as heavy as all the nation."

"It will not do to put anything more in the boat," said
Winthrop.

"I can't go without books," said Elizabeth.

"You'll have 'em in the mornin'," suggested the miller.

"O leave it, Lizzie, and come along!" said her companion. "See
how late it's getting."

"I can't go without some books," said Elizabeth; "I shouldn't
know what to do with myself. You are sure you can't take the
box?"

"Certainly," said Winthrop smiling. "She would draw too much
water, with this tide."

"Yes, you'd be on the bottom and no mistake, when you got in
the bay," said Mr. Cowslip.

Elizabeth looked from one to the other.

"Then just get something and open the box if you please," she
said, indicating her command to Winthrop; "and I will take out
a few, till I get the rest."

"O Lizzie!" urged her companion, -- "let the books wait!"

But she and her expostulation got no sort of attention. Miss
Lizzie walked up the hill again to await the unpacking of the
box. Miss Cadwallader straightened herself against a post,
while Mr. Cowslip and Winthrop went to the store for a hammer.

"She's got spunk in her, ha'n't she, that little one?" said
the miller. "She's a likely lookin' little gal, too. But I
never seen any one so fierce arter books, yet."

Tools were soon found, in Mr. Cowslip's store, but the box was
strongly put together and the opening of it was not a very
speedy business. The little proprietor looked on patiently.
When it was open, Miss Lizzie was not very easy to suit. With
great coolness she stood and piled up book after book on the
uncovered portion of the box, till she had got at those she
wanted. She pleased herself with two or three, and then the
others were carefully put back again; and she stood to watch
the fastening up of the box as it was before.

"It will be safe here?" she said to the miller.

"Safe enough!" he answered. "There's nobody here 'll want to
pry open these here books, agin this night."

"And will the other things be safe?" said Miss Cadwallader,
who had come up the hill again in despair. The miller glanced
at her.

"Safe as your hair in curl-papers. You can be comfortable. Now
then --"

The sun was not far from the mountain tops, wh