Mary-’GustaextendedherhandandMr。Chase，afterwipinghisownhandontheapron，pumpedhersupanddown。
　　“Pleasedtomeetyou，“hesaid，solemnly。
　　“Nowforthedunnage，“saidCaptainShad。“There’sthesatcheland——
　　andtheotherthings。Lookoutforthatbasket！LOOKOUT！“
　　Mr。Chasehadseizedthebasketandswungitoutofthebuggy。
　　David，frightenedatthesuddenaerialascension，utteredahowl。
　　Isaiahdroppedthebasketasifitwasredhot。
　　“Whatintunket！“heexclaimed。
　　“Nothin’butacat，“explainedtheCaptain。“’Twon’thurtyou。“
　　“Acat！What——whosecat？“
　　“Mine，“saidMary-’Gusta，runningtotherescue。“He’sarealgoodcat。Heain’tcross；he’sscared，that’sall。Honest，heain’tcross。Areyou，David？“
　　Davidhowledandclawedatthecoverofthebasket。Mr。Chasebackedaway。
　　“Acat！“herepeated。“Youfetchedacat——here？“
　　“Sartinwefetchedit。“CaptainShadrachwasevidentlylosingpatience。“Didyouthinkwe’dfetchanelephant？Nowgetoutthem——
　　themdollbabiesandthings。“
　　Isaiahstaredatthedolls。Mary-’Gustastoppedpattingthebasketandhastenedtothesideofthebuggy。“I’lltakethedollies，“shesaid。“They’remine，too。“
　　Amomentlatertheyenteredthehouse。Mary-’Gustaborethreeofthedolls。Mr。Hamiltoncarriedtheothertwo，andIsaiah，withthevaliseinonehandandthebasketcontainingtheshriekingDavidatarm’slengthintheother，ledtheway。CaptainShad，afterinformingthemthathewouldbeaboardinajiffy，droveontothebarn。
　　Theroomtheyfirstenteredwasthekitchen。Itwassmall，ratheruntidy，andsmeltstronglyoffishandthefriedpotatoes。
　　“Comerightalongwithme，Mary-’Gusta，“saidZoeth。“Fetchthesatchel，Isaiah。“
　　“Holdon，“shoutedtheperturbed“cookandsteward。““What——whatinthenationwillIdowiththiscritter？“
　　The“critter“wasDavid，whowasapparentlyturningsomersaultsinthebasket。
　　Zoethhesitated。Mary-’Gustasettledthequestion。
　　“Puthimrightdown，please，“shesaid。“He’llbebettersoonashe’sputdown。He’snevertraveledbeforeandit’skindofstrangetohim。He’llbeallrightandI’llcomebackandlethimoutprettysoon。Mayn’tI，Mr——Mr。Chase？“
　　“Huh？Yes，yes，youcanifyouwantto，Ical’late。Idon’twantto，that’ssure。“
　　Hedepositedthebasketonthefloorathisfeet。Mary’-Gustalookedatitratherdubiouslyandforaninstantseemedabouttospeak，butshedidnot，andfollowedMr。Hamiltonfromthekitchen，throughtheadjoiningroom，evidentlythedining-room，andupanarrowflightofstairs。
　　“Ical’latewe’llputherinthespareroom，won’twe，Isaiah？“
　　queriedZoeth，withsomehesitation。
　　Isaiahgrunted。“Guessso，“hesaid，ungraciously，“Ain’tnootherplacethatIknowof。Bedain’tmade，though。“
　　Thespareroomwasofgoodsize，andsmelledshutupandmusty，asspareroomsinthecountryusuallydo。Itwasfurnishedwithabureau，washstand，andtwochairs，eachpaintedinarobin’seggbluewithspraysofyellowroses。Therewereseveralpicturesonthewalls，theirsubjectsreligiousandmournful。Thebedwas，asMr。Chasehadsaid，notmade；infactitlookedasifithadnotbeenmadeforsometime。
　　“I’vebeencal’latin’tomakeupthatbedformore’namonth，“
　　explainedIsaiah。“Lasttime’twasunmadewaswhenZoethhadthatministerfromTrumethereofaSaturdayandSunday。EverydayI’vecal’latedtomakeupthatbed，butIdon’tseemtogetnotime。I’msoeverlastin’busyIdon’tgettimefornothin’，somehow。“
　　“Icanmakethebed，“declaredMary-’Gusta，eagerly。“Icanmakebedsrealwell。Mrs。Hobbstoldmeso——once。“
　　Thetwomenlookedateachother。Beforeeithercouldspeakatremendousracketbrokeoutonthefloorbelow，asoundofsomething——orsomebody——tumblingabout，aroarinahumanvoiceandafelinescreech。Mary-’Gustarushedforthestairs。
　　“Iknewhewould，“shesaid，frantically。“Iwasafraidsomebodywould。ItwasRIGHTinfrontofthedoor。Oh！David，dear！I’ma-
　　comin’！I’ma-comin’！“
　　FromthekitchencameCaptainShadrach’svoice。Itsoundedexcitedandangry。
　　“Whoinblazesleftthatdumcritterrightundermyfeet？“hehollered。“I——Iswan，IbelieveI’vebrokemyneck——orhis——oneort’other。“
　　WhenZoethandIsaiahreachedthekitchentheyfoundtheCaptainsittinginachair，rubbinghisknees，andMary-’Gustaseatedonthefloorbesidetheopenbasket，huggingthefrightenedandstrugglingDavid。
　　“I——Iguesshe’sallright，“pantedthechild。“Iwassoafraidhe’dbekilled。Youain’tkilled，areyou，David？“
　　Davidappearedtoberemarkablysoundandactive。Hewriggledfromhisowner’sarmsandboltedunderthestove。
　　“No；he’sallright，“saidMary-’Gusta。“Isn’titniceheain’thurt，Mr——ImeanCap’nGould？“
　　CaptainShadrubbedhisknee。“Um——yes，“hesaid，withelaboratesarcasm；“it’slovely。CourseIdon’tmindbreakin’bothMYlegs，butifthatcathadbeen——er——bruisedoranythingIshouldhavefeltbad。Well，Isaiah，“headded，tartly，turningtothegrinning“steward，““arethemfriedpotatoesofyoursrealorjustinyourmind？“
　　“Eh？Why——whythey’rerightthereonthestove，Cap’nShad。“
　　“Wanttoknow！Thensupposeyouput’emonthetable。I’mhungryandI’dliketoeatonemoresquaremealaforesomethin’elsehappenstofinishmealtogether。Byfire！ifthisain’tbeenaday！
　　Firstthatchair，andthenthatwillandletterofMarcellus’s，andthenthis。Humph！Comeon，allhands，let’seatsupper。Ineedsomethin’solidtobracemeupfortomorrow’sprogram；ifit’suptothis，I’llneedstrengthtolastitthrough。Comeon！“
　　ThatfirstsupperinthewhitehousebytheshorewasanexperienceforMary-’Gusta。Mrs。Hobbs，inspiteofherfaultfindingandtemper，hadbeenacompetentandcarefulhousekeeper。Mealswhichshepreparedwerewellcookedandneatlyserved。Thismealwasdistinctlydifferent。Therewasenoughtoeat——infact，anabundance——friedcodandthefriedpotatoesandhotbiscuitsanddried-applepie；buteverythingwasputuponthetableatthesametime，andMr。Chasesatdownwiththeothersanddidnoteventroubletotakeoffhisapron。Thetableclothwasnotverycleanandtheknivesandforksandspoonsdidnotglitterlikethosethechildhadbeenaccustomedtosee。
　　EvenMr。Hamilton，towhommostofthethingsofthisworld——hisbelovedstoreexcepted——seemedtobeunessentialtrivialities，spokeofthetablelinen。
　　“Seemstome，“heobserved，inhisgentleandhesitatingway，“thistablecloth’ssortofspottedup。Don’tyouthinkso，Shadrach？“
　　CaptainShad’sreplywasemphaticandtothepoint。
　　“Looksasif’twasbreakin’outwithchicken-pox，“hereplied。
　　“Ain’twegotacleanoneinthelocker，Isaiah？“
　　Mr。Chase’sfaceassumedanaggrievedexpression。
　　“Coursewehave，“heanswered，“butIdidn’tknowyouwasgoin’tohavecompany。“
　　“Neitherdidwe。Butwecouldstandacleantable-cloth，evenatthat。“
　　“I’vegotsomethin’todobesideschangin’tableclothseveryday。“
　　“Everyday！EveryThanksgivin’Day，youmean。Thisone——“
　　“Now，look-a-here，Cap’nShad；youknowwellasIdothatSarahJ。
　　nevercometodothewashin’lastweek。Shewasdownwiththegripandcouldn’tmove。Ifyouexpectmetodowashin’aswellascookandsweepandkeephouseand——andshovelsnow，and——“
　　“Shovelsnow！Whatkindoftalk’sthat？Thereain’tbeenanysnowsinceFebruary。“
　　“Don’tmakenodifference。WhentherewasIshoveledit，didn’tI？
　　Itain’tnouse；Itryandtry，butIcan’tgivesatisfactionandI
　　might’swellquit。Idon’thavetostayhereandslavemyselftodeath。Icangetanotherjob。There’sfolksinthistownthat’sjustdyin’tohavemeworkforem。“
　　CaptainShadrachmutteredsomethingtotheeffectthatifIsaiahdidworkforthemtheymightdiesooner。Mr。Chaserosefromhisseat。
　　“Allright，“hesaid，withdignity。“Allright，thissettlesit。
　　I’mthrough。AfteralltheyearsIsailedcookalongwithyou，ShadGould，andafteryoubeggin’me——yes，sir，beggin’onyourknees，asyoumightsay，formetorunthishouseforyoulongasyoulived——
　　afterthat，to——to——Good-by。I’lltrynottolayitupagainstyou。“
　　Hewasmoving——nothastily，butactuallymoving——towardthekitchendoor。Zoeth，whowasevidentlymuchdisturbed，roseandlaidahandonhisarm。