unerring instinct, and Jake was never
to be seen on his way to or from his mill without a troop of children
climbing all over him. Nevertheless, he and his wife were a great care
to their neighbors. Not once had Hannah Sawyer got through her spring
house-cleaning or her fall pickling and preserving without help. Never
yet had the two arrived in time at church or prayer-meeting, and they
could not even go to town of a Saturday to do a half day's marketing
without Mrs. Winters' eye on them. As for Jake's flour mill, if his
partner, Spectacle John Cross, hadn't been a capable man, and an honest
one, every one declared it would have gone up in smoke long ago.

So, naturally, the village was reluctant about adopting a third orphan;
but Jake and Hannah had pleaded so, that the minister had advised Mrs.
Winters to yield. And so the day had arrived when they were to take
the train to a neighboring town, near which was an orphan home, and
there they were to secure their long-yearned-for prize.

Of course, it was out of the question to suppose that the Sawyers could
get up and catch the six-thirty train without assistance; so the
Camerons had loaned their team, and the Longs their buggy, to take them
to the station; Davy Munn was detailed to drive them, and all the rest
of the village to get them ready.

Jake had just returned from a despairing march to the gate. "We'll
miss that train, Harriet Munn, as sure as blazes!" he cried, with the
air of one who has a disagreeable formula to recite at stated
intervals, and is relieved to get it off his mind. He tramped back
again with an agonized glance at the upstairs window.

The boy in the buggy stirred to life once more.

"Say, maw!"

"What, Davy?"

"What on earth's Hannah scratching 'round upstairs so long for? That
orphant'll be growed up before they get it."

"She's jist ready," remarked his mother, hopefully, "an' there's no use
talkin' about it, either. It jist wastes time. Jake!" she called,
anxiously. "Are you sure you're all ready now?"

The man turned a desperate face toward her.

"I think so, Harriet. But if this collar don't bust soon an' give me a
breath, I'll choke."

"Did you find your pipe?"

Mr. Sawyer dived absently into his coat pockets. "We'll miss that
train as sure as---- Where in the nation's that pipe o' mine got to?"
He rummaged despairingly. "Oh, I forgot! Susan Winters said I wasn't
to take it, for fear the smoke might be bad f