with him, Benny, if you have time."

We did our errand, and the two men, in rather a surly manner, promised
to meet Mr. Hancock. The next afternoon Mr. Hancock gave us a couple of
stakes, which he told us to sharpen, and then we went up to the Salem
road together. We found Sam and Jesse sitting on a stone wall, waiting.

Mr. Hancock said: "Well, neighbours, I hear that you have a dispute over
your boundaries, and that you're going to law about it. That won't do
at all. I'm not going to have you spending your money fighting this
matter in one court and then in another, till your money is gone. We can
clear up the trouble here to-day. State your cases to me, and I can give
as good a decision as any court. Go on, Sam, and tell your story. Wait
till he's through, Jesse, before you say a word." Sam told his side of
the case, and then Jesse, and then Sam had a second chance, and after
him Jesse again.

[Sidenote: BISHOP HANCOCK'S LAW]

Though Sam and Jesse were supposed to do all the talking, yet the bishop
had his say, too. And he was so sensible and genial that soon there was
a different feeling between the two men. He told stories of their
fathers when they were boys; what great friends they were, and how they
bought adjoining farms to be near each other. "And as for that onion bed
which marked the southern boundary of Jesse's farm, I have a very good
idea of where it was. And probably we can see now where it was by the
difference in the grass." He walked along and said, "A big stone with a
flat top stuck up about twenty feet from the edge of the bed."

"Why, that's just ahead of us," said Jesse.

"I thought so. And now that I've heard your stories, and remember the
onion bed and the stone, I think that this is the boundary line. Drive a
stake down here, Benny. Now, neighbours, we've got it settled without
costing a penny, and I want you to shake hands and be as close friends
as your fathers were; for you're both good fellows."

How we did enjoy that old man! One day Edmund and John and I were seated
in his yard, near the stable, mending the pigeon net, and Bishop Hancock
was oiling a harness hanging just inside the barn, when the gate opened,
and two old fools came into the yard.

"Good morning, Mr. Hancock."

"Good morning, neighbour Hall and neighbour Perry. You've caught me in a
nice mess. There's nothing very ministerial about this. Quite different
from preaching a long sermon at you; and to tell the truth,