Thornton was silenced again, and his sister sat still for a few moments with such a wavering play of thought and feeling upon her face, as was like the shadowy leaftossed light upon the brook. And then after one glance at him, coming quickly to him and almost before he was aware, her arm drew him down to a place by her side, and her voice spoke words for him that bowed down his heart like a bulrush. And with the belief the power He was a changed man.

came.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

It was autumn, and incessant

Piped the quails from shocks and sheaves,
And, like living coals, the apples

Burn'd among the withering leaves.-LONGFELLOW.

"How come you to follow the Capting, Tom Skiddy ?" said Martha.

Miss Jumps was enjoying herself in the farm kitchen, her feet stretched out to a huge fire, which crackled and ran away up chimney, and sent forth such a red glow that the room looked as if whitewashed with firelight. The tea-kettle had done its work for that evening, and was pushed off into one corner upon the end of the crane, while the pot of dish-water, in like easy circumstances, kept as far away as it could in the other. And between the two ran up the bright points of flame from a sound foundation of logs, which in their turn overshadowed the glowing bed of coals. The ashes were carefully raked away right and left, and in the cleared space lay the kitchen tongs with its toes to the fire; its iron legs supporting a long ear of corn of the roasting age-fullkernelled, white, and delicate. To this Miss Jumps lent a part of her attention, while another share was bestowed upon Tom; who in the very focus of firelight, if there was one, sat paring an apple with his pocket-knife and eating slices of it from time to time, as if he rather enjoyed the business than otherwise, and was in no haste

MARTHA AND TOM SKIDDY.

261

to have done. Upon his knee lay a little half-finished boat, on which Tom's knife had been engaged when the fruits of the earth attracted his attention. In the other corner of the hearth, Jerusha, with a basket of the same fruit before her and a tin pan at her side, was rapidly skinning the apples by the help of a simple little machine and its crooked knife; and casting now and then a glance of great interest at the two foreigners. Beyond them all, Mrs. Hopper's busy wheel kept its swift whirling, under the skilful hand of its silent mistress. Her black dress made a dark spot in the glowing room, and Mrs. Hopper looked, if anything, more slim and gaunt and weather-worn than ever. In strong contrast was the bunch of soft white rolls upon the wheel, where the firelight fell after a mere glance at the spindle. The reel stood hard by, and against the wall hung a string of brilliant red peppers, and several bunches of white yarn all knotted and twisted up,-being a part of Mrs. Hopper's day's work of "two run and a half." An old cat lay dozing and stretched out at the foot of the wheel -the close neighbourhood of the fire being rather too hot; and a fine tortoiseshell kitten and one of “ gray mixed" went in frolicksome tumbles about the room.

"How come I to foller the Captain ?" said Tom. Why, because the Captain led on and I follered. Just giv' up the business I had in hand and started."

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Easy business to give up, wa'n't it?" said Miss Jumps,- -"don't take common folks long to lay down a muskit. How do you s'pose it'll manage without you? What sort of a time did you have down there on Long Island, Tom Skiddy ?"

"First-rate," said Tom, "long as the Captain kept about. Didn't do a person's feelings much good to see him laid up. I hadn't much chance to look at him neither. How Mr. Raynor got all his work done, and the Captain's, and took care of him beside, I don't know." "Guess likely he's a smart man," said Martha demurely. Jerushy, don't none o' your corn never stand still to be roasted? does it all go pop-cracking out that fashion?"

"It's only some o' the grains bursted out," said Jerusha, bending down to look at the corn till her head

was in a position almost as fiery. "It's roasting beautiful, Miss Jumps."

"It's flying round the world," said Miss Jumps, stooping down in her turn, and endeavouring to roll the corn over upon its roasted side; to which it responded by rolling into the ashes. Martha seized a fork and tried that persuasion; but after uprooting several grains of the corn, the rest were further down in the ashes than ever, fizzing and sputtering at a great rate.

"Now what's to be done ?" said Martha.

"Pick it up, why don't you!" said Mrs. Hopper. "Tom can," said Martha; "he's right in front of the fire." "That's just where he means to stay," said Tom. "Anybody else may get in that's a mind to."

"Where upon airth were you all fetched up?" said Mrs. Hopper, coming forward, and with one sure pounce restoring the corn to its proper place. ""Taint a bit the worse-ashes won't hurt ye-nor fire neither if you aint too keerful of it. I'm not one of your meltin' away people;" and Mrs. Hopper returned to her wheel, and spun it round with great energy.

"I thought you could do 'most anything, Martha ?"

said Tom.

"Well," said Martha, with some asperity, "who says anything against it ?"

But Tom wisely forebore to answer, and occupied himself with a particularly large slice of apple.

"It's astonishing how much people can have to do with muskits and not learn to stand fire," remarked Miss Jumps rather scornfully. "If I was some folks I'd get up and look at myself."

Tom paused in the munching of his apple just long enough to blow one of its black seeds off his finger, and then fixed his attention upon the old cat; who now aroused from her sleep by the wheel, came forward slowly and stretchingly, and evinced a wish to shield Tom by taking up a position directly in front of him. And Tom's foot accordingly gave her a push which a little more would have converted into a kick.

"Tom Skiddy, stop!" said Martha. "I won't sit still and see you."

IN THE COUNTRY.

263

"Hop up then," replied Tom, taking aim at the cat with a long apple paring.

"No I won't," said Martha,the cat, neither-that's more." resting-place in Martha's lap.

"and you shan't kick And the cat found a safe

"Real Malti' that cat is," observed Mrs. Hopper; "and a better couldn't be."

"The apples aint bad," remarked Tom. "Captain Thornton says he'd like a barrel or so on 'em to take home."

"He can have 'em," said Mrs. Hopper, bringing forward the little reel and beginning to "click" off her yarn. "We've got as many apples as most things this season." "Well now" said Martha,-"let's we go pick 'em up. What's to hinder ?"

"Take the cart along, and the bar'ls," said Mrs. Hopper, "and it aint bad sport, I can tell you."

"Miss Rosalie 'll go, I'll venture," said Martha; "and all the rest."

I wouldn't venture too much, if I was you, Martha,' said Tom. "Catch Captain Thornton out in the field picking up apples, and you'll catch a weasel asleep in a stone wall."

"Why he aint obliged to pick 'em up, bless you! if he does go," said Martha; "and he aint a man to be scared at the thought of pickin' up anythin' so small as apples, any way. I say he'll go if she does."

come to

'Well, I do' know but he will," said Tom, think of it. He does stick to her like wax lately." "The better for him," said Martha, "and I'll go right off and ask 'em this blessed minute."

"Better eat your corn," said Tom.

keep cool, and that won't."

"T'other thing'll

"See what the day is afore you ask your company," said Mrs. Hopper; and to that Martha agreed.

The day was as fine as could be, and mellow as one of the many apples that plunged down into the grass from time to time, as the loaded boughs swayed lightly about. The farm work and the fall held on their way hand in hand; but the woods were gayer now, and the waggons carried home pumpkins instead of wheat, and the hard

yellow corn went craunchingly to its destination in many a well-filled pen. At Mrs. Hopper's back door-that is, in the road that ran by the dwelling, and under an old apple-tree-stood the great ox-cart; its patient team with heaving sides and bowed heads drowsily awaiting further orders. Half a dozen of empty barrels stood near the cart; and the driver-a rather thin and sharp-set specimen of the natives-was leaning against the tree, overshadowed by its canopy of fading leaves, and with great diligence was whittling away one stick after another to keep his hand in,

He looked up with a kind of wondering and scornful surprise as the house door opened, and the whole family came filing out; and then merely stooping to pick up a new subject for his knife's sharp edge, he remarked

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'Pity you hadn't thought to ask a few o' the neighbours, and you ha' had quite a muster."

"I guess you'll find there's enough now," said Martha, "How many on ye's going in this here cart ?" said the man.

"Forty-more or less," said Mrs. Hopper. "Can't do it," said the man.

"Come now, 'Zekiel Mearns," said Mrs. Hopper, "stow away four o' those bar'ls, and be spry,-and don't try to make me think oat straw's buckwheat. Step round, now.'

Mr. Mearns permitted the corners of his mouth to relax a little, shut up his knife, and stepping roundthough not precisely in the way Mrs. Hopper meant-he swung up four of the barrels off the ground and into the cart, and bestowed them in close order in that end which was nearest the oxen. Then with a nod of his head he signified that the field was clear for whoso chose to occupy it. "Get in, Miss Clyde," said Mrs. Hopper.

"Bless your heart!" said Martha, "she's not going to ride so!" and making a dive into the house, Miss Jumps returned with a low rush-bottomed chair which was then planted firmly against the barrels, and Miss Clyde took possession.

"That's enough," said Mr. Mearns, taking up his long "Don't want no more on ye.'

whip.

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Oh, I must ride," said Hulda; "but I can sit on the floor." And Thornton jumped her in likewise,