eeklies, and circulars
were sent through the mails. Partly by enterprise and partly through
influence--Mr. Keith helped here--Mary attained for Hamilton and Company
the contract for supplying the furniture and draperies for the new hotel
which a New York syndicate was building at Orham Neck. It was purely
a commission deal, of course--everything was purchased in Boston--and
Hamilton and Company's profit was a percentage, but even a small
percentage on so large a sale made a respectable figure on a check and
helped to pay more of the firm's debts. And those debts, the old ones,
were now reduced to an almost negligible quantity.

The secondhand horse and wagon still continued to go upon their rounds,
but the boy had been replaced by an active young fellow whose name was
Crocker and who was capable of taking orders as well as delivering them.
When Captain Shadrach was told--not consulted concerning but told--the
wages this young man was to receive, he was, as he confided to Isaiah
afterward, "dismasted, stove in, down by the head and sinkin' fast."

"Mary-'Gusta Lathrop!" he cried, in amazement. "Are you goin' stark
loony? Payin' that Simmie Crocker fourteen dollars a WEEK for drivin'
team and swappin' our good sugar and flour for sewin'-circle lies over
folks' back fences! I never heard such a thing in my life. Why, Baker's
Bazaar don't pay the man on their team but ten a week. I know that
'cause he told me so himself. And Baker's Bazaar's got more trade than
we have."

"Yes. And that is exactly why we need a better man than they have, so
that WE can get more trade. Simeon Crocker is an ambitious young chap.
He isn't going to be contented with fourteen long."

"Oh, he ain't, eh? Well, I ain't contented with it now, I tell you that.
Fourteen dollars a week for drivin' cart! Jumpin' fire! Why, the cart
itself ain't worth more'n fifteen and for twenty-five I'd heave in the
horse for good measure. But I'd never get the chance," he added, "unless
I could make the trade in the dark."

Mary laughed and patted his shoulder.

"Never mind, Uncle Shad," she said, confidently, "Sim Crocker at
fourteen a week is a good investment. He will get us a lot of new
business now, and next summer--well, I have some plans of my own for
next summer."

The Christmas business was very good indeed. Shadrach, Mary, Annabel,
and Simeon were kept busy. Customers came, not only from South Harniss,
but from West and East Harniss and even from Or