"'Hello!' said he. 'I thought you'd be abed and asleep!'
"'I didn't want to do my talkin' out front,' said she, 'for there might be people passin' along the road. I think you said this was to be a case of blackgum ag'in' thunder!'
"'Yes,' said Abner, in a somewhat uncertain tone.
"'Well, then,' said Mrs. Batterfield, 'I'm thunder.'
"It was very late when that couple went to bed, but it was very early the next morning when Abner rose. He split a great deal of fire-wood before breakfast, and very soon after that meal he put his hoe on his shoulder and went to his corn-field. He remembered that there were three rows of corn which he had hoed upon only one side.
"The library was not opened that day, and it remained closed until Mr. Brownsill returned. The failure in the supply of books did not occasion very much comment in the town, for everybody agreed that Mr. Brownsill was a good man and ought to have a holiday. There were four persons in the place—a little girl with plaited hair and a sister; a colored woman with a bad tooth; and Joe Pearson—who knew that Abner Batterfield had held, for a time, the office of librarian.
"When his vacation had expired, Mr. Brownsill came home, and on the second morning after his arrival, Abner Batterfield appeared before him.
"'I had to come in town,' said Abner, 'and so I thought I'd step in here and see about my pay.'
"The librarian looked at him. 'How long were you here?' he asked. 'I've been told that the library was shut up for two weeks.'
"'I was here for three quarters of a day,' said Abner. 'That's about as near as I can calculate.'