ies, sidling up to
Reuben, accosted him under breath with a sly,

"So you druv Mr. Linden's sweetheart. Aint you spry!"

If Reuben had been in that line, he would probably have sent the
offender head first down the bank,--as it was, he said quietly,

"I wouldn't let Mr. Linden hear me say that, Phil, if I was you."

"Don't mean ter. Aint you great! But I say,--Joe Deacon says you did."

"Joe Deacon's made a mistake for once in his life," said Reuben rather
contemptuously--"and it isn't the first, by several."

"Reuben," said Mr. Linden approaching the group, "you may all go and
find where the best trees are, and then come back and report to me. I
put you in charge. Understand"--he added, raising his voice a little,
"Reuben Taylor is leader of the search--whoever does not obey his
orders, does not obey mine."--And in a minute the courtyard was clear.
Then Mr. Linden turned and walked up to the house.

"Now what are you ladies going to do with yourselves?" he said. "Will
you come out and sit under the trees and look on--taking the chance of
being hit by a stray nut now and then?"

"We can't go wrong to-day," said Faith, with whom the spirit of
enjoyment was well at play. "When mother feels in the mood of it we'll
come. We can find you--we know where to look. Weren't you obliged to us
for doing the waiting at the ferry?"

"And for looking so picturesque in the distance,--it was quite a thing
to be grateful for. I think you will have no difficulty in finding
where we are--there will be noise enough to guide you. I hope you have
not brought a book along, Miss Faith."

"Why, Mr. Linden?"

"The 'running' brooks are good letter-press," he said--"and the grey
stones, and that white oak in the meadow. And is not that woodpecker a
pretty illustration?"

"I have looked at them often," said Faith. "I don't know how to _read_
them as you do. There isn't any brook here, though, that I know of, but
Kildeer river. You'll like Neanticut, Mr. Linden. I'm so glad you let
us come. I'll read everything--that I can."

"I don't know how long everything'll last you, child--at the rate
you've gone on lately," said Mrs. Derrick who stood in the doorway.

Faith smiled again, and shook her head a little at the same time as her
eye went from the woodpecker to the green leaves above his head, then
to the bright red of some pepperidge trees further off, to the lush
grass of the meadow, and on to the soft brownish, reddish, golden hues