. Mrs. Marx came in, surveyed Lois, and heard Charity's
statement.

"These things will happen in the best regulated families," she
remarked, beginning also to loosen her dress.

"What are you going to do, aunt Anne?"

"Going after clams, with Lois. We shall want a bushel or less; and we
can't wait till the moon rises, to eat 'em."

"And how am I going to set the table with them all there?"

Mrs. Marx laughed. "I expect they're like cats in a strange garret. Set
your table just as usual, Charry; push 'em out o' the way if they get
in it. Now then, Lois!"

And, slipping down the steps and away off to the stretch of mud where
the rushes grew, two extraordinary, flannel-clad, barefooted figures,
topped with sun-bonnets and armed with hoes and baskets, were presently
seen to be very busy there about something. Charity opened the door of
communication between the two parts of the house, and surveyed the
party. Mrs. Barclay sat on the step outside, looking over the plain of
waters, with her head in her hand. Mrs. Armadale was in a
rocking-chair, just within the door, placidly knitting. Mr. and Mrs.
Lenox, somewhat further back, seemed not to know just what to do with
themselves; and Madge, holding a little aloof, met her sister's eye
with an expression of despair and doubt. Outside, at the foot of the
steps, where Mrs. Barclay sat, lounged the ox driver.

"Ben here afore?" he asked confidentially of the lady.

"Yes, once or twice. I never came in an ox cart before."

"I guess you hain't," he replied, chewing a blade of rank grass which
he had pulled for the purpose. "My judgment is we had a fust-rate
entertainment, comin' down."

"I quite agree with you."

"Now in anythin' _but_ an ox cart, you couldn't ha' had it."

"No, not so well, certainly."

"_I_ couldn't ha' had it, anyway, withouten we'd come so softly. I
declare, I believe them critters stepped soft o' purpose. It's better'n
a book, to hear that girl talk, now, ain't it?"

"Much better than many books."

"She's got a lot o' 'em inside her head. That beats me! She allays was
smart, Lois was; but I'd no idee she was so full o' book larnin'. Books
is a great thing!" And he heaved a sigh.

"Do you have time to read much yourself, sir?"

"Depends on the book," he said, with a bit of a laugh. "Accordin' to
that, I get much or little. No; in these here summer days a man can't
do much at books; the evenin's short, you see, and the days is long;
and the d