ar adage, considered that 'once a scholar, always
a scholar.' Reuben seemed inclined on his part to leave the present
business in Joe's hands, but a sharp nudge from that young gentleman's
elbow admonished him not only to speak but to speak quickly. Reuben
modestly preferred his modest request, guiltless of any but the most
innocent arrangement of his words.

"We boys are all going over to Neanticut nutting, next Saturday, Miss
Faith," he said, "and we thought as Mr. Linden was going, maybe you'd
like to go too--and we'd all enjoy it a great deal more."

"There ain't room in the wagon," put in Joe--"but I s'pose you kin fix
that."

"Joe!" said Reuben flushing up. "There's plenty of room, Miss
Faith--there isn't one of us that wouldn't find it, somehow. I could
walk easy enough, I know that."

Faith flushed up too on her part a little, unconsciously; and asked who
else was going.

"Sam _aint_"--said Joe, as if that was all he cared about.

"Only the boys, Miss Faith," said Reuben with another glance at his
comrade. "But it's a pretty place over there,--and so's the ride.
There's room for Mrs. Derrick too if she'd like it," Reuben added,--"I
suppose we shall be gone all day."

"It's very good of you to come and ask me, both of you," said Faith,
evidently in perplexity;--"and I should like to go dearly if I can,
Reuben--but I am afraid I can't. I am glad if the wagon's big enough to
hold you all without me. You'll have a great time."

"You may say that!" said Joe--while Reuben looked down, disappointed.

"We didn't know whether you would," he said--"but Mr. Linden said you
wouldn't be displeased at our asking. We asked him first, Miss
Faith--or we shouldn't have made so free. And you shall have some of
the nuts, anyway!"

A little cheered with which view of the subject, Reuben made his bow,
and Joe Deacon whistled after him out of the gate.

Faith looked after them, disappointed too. There was a grave set of the
lines of her mouth, and it was with rather a thoughtful face that she
looked down the road for a minute. Then remembering the volume of
Prescott in her hand, which her finger still kept open, she went up
stairs again and set herself down to finish her treasure. Faith's
reading-place, it must be known, was no other than a deep window-seat
in Mr. Linden's room. That was a large, old-fashioned room, as has been
said, with brown wainscottings and corner and window cupboards; and
having on two sides a plea