rumbling, and for every yard of prints, he'd make out to send two yards
of grunt and growls, and that was too much, you know, even for a pedler
to stand; so we cut loose, and now as the people say on the river--every
man paddle his own canoe."

"And you are now alone in the way of trade, and this store which you are
about to establish is entirely on your own account?"

"Guess it is; and so, you see, I must pull with single oar up stream,
and shan't quarrel with no friend that helps me now and then to send the
boat ahead."

"Rely upon us, Bunce. You have done too much in my behalf to permit any
of our family to forget your services. We shall do all that we can
toward giving you a fair start in the stream, and it will not be often
that you shall require a helping-hand in paddling your canoe."

"I know'd it, Master Colleton. 'Tain't in Carolina, nor in Georgy, nor
Virginny, no--nor down in Alabam, that a man will look long for
provisions, and see none come. That's the people for me. I guess I must
ha' been born by nature in the South, though I did see daylight in
Connecticut."

"No blarney, Bunce. We know you--what you are and what you are
not!--good and bad in fair proportions. But what paper is that in your
hand?"

"Oh, that? That's jest what I was going now to ax you about. That's my
bill of particulars, you see, that I'm going to send on by the post, to
Ichabod Bunce. He'll trade with me, now we're off partnership, and be as
civil as a lawyer jest afore court-time. 'Cause, you see, he'll be
trying to come over me, and will throw as much dust in my eyes as he
can. But I guess he don't catch me with mouth ajar. I know his tricks,
and he'll find me up to them."

"And what is it you require of me in this matter?"

"Oh, nothing, but jest to look over this list, and tell me how you
'spose the things will suit your part of the country. You see I must try
and larn how to please my customers, that is to be. Now, you see,
here's, in the first place--for they're a great article now in the
country, and turn out well in the way of sale--here's--"

But we need not report the catalogue. Enough, that he proceeded to
unfold (dwelling with an emphatic and precise description of each
article in turn) the immense inventory of wares and merchandises with
which he was about to establish. The assortment was various enough.
There were pen-knives, and jack-knives, and clasp-knives, and
dirk-knives, horn and wooden combs, calicoes an