e place she cared
to; noting particularly a load of hay "slewed," or mired, in the
mud-holes of one of the principal streets; the sight of which made her
wonder if a great and flourishing city could ever be built there!

Meanwhile the captain, by inquiry in the resorts of market-men, found a
farmer who was going to drive out to the Long Woods settlement that
afternoon, and who engaged to come with his wagon to the wharf where the
Heron lay, and take off Vinnie and her trunk.

"O, how fortunate!" she exclaimed. "How good everybody is to me! Only
think, I shall reach my sister's house to-night!"

CHAPTER IX.

VINNIE'S ADVENTURE.

In due time a rough farm-wagon was backed down upon the wharf, and a
swarthy man, with a high, hooked nose, like the inverted prow of a ship,
boarded the schooner, and scratched his head, through its shock of
stiff, coarse hair, by way of salutation to Vinnie, who came on deck to
meet him.

"Do' no's you'll like ridin' with me, in a lumber-wagon, on a stiff
board seat."

"O, I sha'n't mind!" said Vinnie, who was only too glad to go.

"What part of the settlement ye goin' to?" he asked, as he lifted one
end of the trunk, while the captain took up the other.

"To Mr. Betterson's house; Mrs. Betterson is my sister," said Vinnie.

The man dropped his end of the trunk, and turned and glared at her.

"You've got holt o' the wrong man this time!" he said. "I don't take
nobody in my wagon to the house of no sich a man as Lord Betterson. Ye
may tell him as much."

"Will you take me to any house near by?" said the astonished Vinnie.

"Not if you're a connection of the Bettersons, I won't for no money!
I've nothin' to do with that family, but to hate and despise 'em. Tell
'em that too. But they know it a'ready. My name's Dudley Peakslow."

And, in spite of the captain's remonstrance, the angry man turned his
back upon the schooner, and drove off in his wagon.

It took Vinnie a minute to recover from the shock his rude conduct gave
her. Then she smiled faintly, and said,--

"It's too bad I couldn't have a ride in his old wagon! But he wouldn't
be very agreeable company, would he?" So she tried to console herself
for the disappointment. She had thought all along: "If I can do no
better, I will take the stage to North Mills; Jack will help me get over
to my sister's from there." And it now seemed as if she might have to
take that route.

The schooner was discharging her miscellaneo