Why the good man did not freeze is to us a mystery only to be solved by concluding, with Aunt Molly Bradish, that “‘twas all ordered.”
At the meeting they got along splendidly with their singing, Uncle Isaac lifting the tune and taking the lead. The whole company thought they had never heard such a sermon; that the good man excelled himself; while he spoke in the highest terms of the singing.
In respect to the supper, it needed not the encomiums freely lavished upon it, as the performances of the reverend gentleman and all concerned afforded more substantial evidence than figures of rhetoric could furnish of their appreciation of its merits.
In short, it was a most pleasant and profitable season to all. No one seemed to enjoy himself less, not even Captain Rhines and the minister, for the lack of spirit.
“One thing is sartin, Benjamin,” said Uncle Isaac, as they sat down together in the porch, to enjoy a quiet pipe; “which is, that people can enjoy themselves, be sociable and neighborly, without liquor.”
“Yes, and feel better after it’s over,” was the reply.
Capacious as Ben’s house now was, it could by no means lodge all the company. A field bed was made in the parlor and kitchen, with additional bed-clothes which Ben had borrowed from his mother and Mrs. Hadlock.
The schooner’s crew slept on board; Fred and Charlie, to their entire satisfaction, in the haymow, as it was long since they had met, and they had many things to talk over.
They dug a great hole in the hay and lined it with the mainsail of the West Wind, got a meal bag and stuffed it with chaff for a pillow, then taking the foresail for a covering, they lay spoon-fashion, and talked themselves to sleep.
“Charlie,” said Fred, “I’ll tell you what I’ve been thinking about: there are a good many people that fish in big canoes; they catch a great many fish in the spring and summer, and even in the winter, when there comes a spell of good weather, that they dare go out, because, you know, they have to row in. Well, they say, if I will put some goods in the mill, that they will bring their fish to me, and take pay in goods. Then some that fish in schooners, say, if I will put up some flakes, they will bring their fish to me, and give me one quintal in fifteen for making them.”