annah, her children,
and her nurse-maid Sally.

As soon as he had seen his party in comfortable quarters he walked up to
the Washington House to report himself to Ishmael; for, somehow or
other, Reuben had grown to look upon Ishmael as his superior officer in
the battle of life, and did him honor, very much as the veteran sergeant
does to the young captain of his company.

Arrived in Ishmael's room, he took off his hat and said:

"Here I am, sir; and I've brung 'em all along."

"All Mrs. Walsh's little girls, of course, for they are required," said
Ishmael, shaking hands with Gray.

"Yes, and all the rest on 'em, Hannah and the little uns, and Sally and
Sam," said Reuben, rubbing his hands gleefully.

"But that was a great task!" said Ishmael, in surprise.

"Well, no, it wasn't, sir; not half so hard a task as it would have been
to a left them all behind, poor things. You see, sir, the reason why I
brung 'em all along was because I sort o' think they love me a deal;
'pon my soul I do, sir, old and gray and rugged as I am; and I don't
like to be parted from 'em, 'specially from Hannah, no, not for a day;
'cause the dear knows, sir, as we was parted long enough, poor Hannah
and me; and now as we is married, and the Lord has donated us a son and
daughter at the eleventh hour, unexpected, praise be unto him for all
his mercies, I never mean to part with any on 'em no more, not even for
a day, till death do us part, amen; but take 'em all 'long with me,
wherever I'm called to go, 'specially as me and poor Hannah was married
so late in life that we aint got many more years before us to be
together."

"Nonsense, Uncle Reuben! You and Aunt Hannah will live forty or fifty
years longer yet, and see your grandchildren, and maybe your
great-grandchildren. You two are the stuff that centenarians are made
of," exclaimed the young man cheeringly.

"Centenarians? what's them, sir?"

"People who live a hundred years."

"Law! Well, I have hearn of such things happening to other folks, and
why not to me and poor Hannah? Why, sir, I would be the happiest man in
the world, if I thought as how I had all them there years to live long
o' Hannah and the little uns in this pleasant world. But his will be
done!" said Gray, reverently raising his hat.

"The little girls are all right, I hope?" inquired Ishmael.

"Yes, sir; all on 'em, and a deal fatter and rosier and healthier nor
they was when I fust took 'em down. Perty little da