“No need when here are two donkeys to carry it. Come here, Tom,” he shouted as his friend was walking off.
Introductions were made in short order, and then the party turned toward home. “Shall we wait for the mail?” asked Ellen.
“Don’t bother about it,” replied Tom. “We’ll bring it to you later. My cousin will want hers anyway.”
“But it will give you extra trouble and a longer walk,” Miss Rindy was ready again to protest.
“What’s a walk more or less?” remarked Reed. “It’s no distance to your cottage.”
“How do you know?” asked Miss Rindy sharply.
“Your cousin has just told me that it is the second house beyond the church,” answered Reed triumphantly, with a sly glance at Ellen.
Tom, with box on shoulder, was keeping pace with Mabel, while the other three followed, Reed the bundle bearer. He spoke truly when he said the distance was short, for in a few minutes they had reached the cottage where packages and box were deposited, and the two young men took their leave, promising to bring the mail later.
As soon as they had stepped off the porch Mabel seized Ellen’s hands. “Where did you meet him? Who is he? Tell me quick. That Mr. Clayton came on the boat. He got on at South Heartwell. He is a dear. I’m crazy about him. He is such an unaffected ingenuous sort of lamb. What do you think was his first question? Did I know how to make clam chowder? He said they wanted to dig some clams, and he could make the chowder if he had a good recipe. Oh, he is a babe, a darling infant. I never met any one quite like him.”
Ellen laughed. “You certainly are bowled over, Mab. I’ll tell you all about it as soon as I get a chance. It’s a long story. Now you must have your supper. I know you must be starved. That trip on the boat does give one such an appetite.”