at
as soon as she had helped Isaiah with the breakfast dishes and the bed
making she was going up to the store.

"What for?" demanded Captain Shad. "Course we'll be mighty glad to have
your company, but Zoeth and me presumed likely you'd be for goin' round
callin' on some of the other girls today."

"Well, I'm not. If they want to see me they can call on me here. I'm
going up to the store with you and Uncle Zoeth. I want to help sell
those Christmas goods of ours."

The partners looked at each other. Even Zoeth was moved to protest.

"Now, Mary-'Gusta," he said, "it ain't likely that your Uncle Shadrach
and I are goin' to let you sell goods in that store. We won't hear of
it, will we, Shadrach?"

"Not by a thunderin' sight!" declared Shadrach, vehemently. "The idea!"

"Why not? I've sold a good many there."

"I don't care if you have. You shan't sell any more. 'Twas all right
when you was just a--a girl, a South Harnisser like the rest of us, but
now that you're a Boston young lady, up to a fin--er--what-d'ye-call-it
--er--endin' school--"

"Finishin' school, Shadrach," corrected Mr. Hamilton.

"Well, whatever 'tis; I know 'twould be the end of ME if I had to live
up to the style of it. 'Anyhow, now that you're there, Mary-'Gusta, a
young lady, same as I said, we ain't--"

But Mary interrupted. "Hush, Uncle Shad," she commanded. "Hush, this
minute! You're talking nonsense, I AM a South Harniss girl and I'm NOT
a Boston young lady. My chief reasons for being so very happy at the
thought of coming home here for my Christmas vacation were, first, that
I should see you and Uncle Zoeth and Isaiah and the house and the horse
and the cat and the hens, and, next, that I could help you with the
Christmas trade at the store. I know perfectly well you need me. I'm
certain you have been absolutely lost without me. Now, really and truly,
haven't you?"

"Not a mite," declared the Captain, stoutly, spoiling the effect of the
denial, however, by adding, although his partner had not spoken: "Shut
up, Zoeth! We ain't, neither."

Mary laughed. "Uncle Shad," she said, "I don't believe you. At any rate,
I'm going up there this minute to see for myself. Come along!"

She made no comment on what she saw at the store, but for the remainder
of the forenoon she was very busy. In spite of the partners' protests,
in fact paying no more attention to those perturbed men of business than
if they were flies to be brushed aside when bot