that the squire's niece had made the queer little curtsey on saying
good-bye. So Anne bobbed very prettily to the squire, and said "good-bye,"
and ran down the steps, leaving the squire standing amazed. It was many
weeks before he learned the name of the little maid, and that her home was
in Province Town.

[Illustration: "THIS IS FROM BOSTON"]

It was an easy matter to find her way back to the lane. There was an
orchard just at the corner of the road, and a man was gathering apples.
"Want an apple?" he called.

"Yes, sir," answered Anne, and now, being rather proud of her new
accomplishment, she curtseyed very politely.

"Well, well, you are a young lady, miss. Come up to the fence and I'll
hand you the apples." Anne obeyed, and the good-natured man gave her two
big red-cheeked apples. They seemed very wonderful to the little girl from
the sandy shore village, where apples were not often to be seen, and she
thanked him delightedly.

Captain Enos was watching for her, and as soon as she was on board he
swung the sloop clear of the wharf, ran up his mainsail and headed toward
the outer channel. As they looked back at the little wharf they saw a tall
man come running down the lane.

"I reckon that's the squire," chuckled Captain Enos.

"Yes, it is," said Anne.

"Well, now for Province Town. I guess we've helped a little bit, Anne. At
least you have."

Anne was eating one of the big red apples, and thinking about Squire
Coffin's big house and small niece.

"We'll tell Aunt Martha all that's happened," went on Captain Enos, "but
do not speak to any one else of it, Anne. 'Twould make trouble for your
father and for me if our trip to Newburyport was known."

"I'll not speak of it," Anne promised.

"It has been a good trip," said Captain Enos. "Mr. Freeman paid me well
for the fish. I have a keg of molasses in the cabin, which will be welcome
news for Martha."

As they came into harbor at sunrise next morning and Captain Enos dropped
anchor and lowered the big mainsail, Anne looked eagerly toward the shore.
She could see Jimmie Starkweather and his father watching them. After
Captain Enos had lowered the keg of molasses into the dory, and put in the
box that held Anne's hat, and the other packages, he helped Anne over the
side of the sloop to a seat in the bow of the dory.

As soon as the boat touched the shore Jimmie and his father ran down to
help draw it up on the beach. Jimmie looked at Captain Enos as i