“I don’t want no room,” said Andy.

I couldn’t stay away nights.” He looked at the paper with gloomy eye.

Uncle William wet the pencil with careful tongue and bent over the paper. His fingers traced a large, scrawling A. “There!” He leaned back, looking at it with satisfied gaze. “‘A and W’s room’—looks good, don’t it!” His face beamed on Andy.

The gloom relaxed a little. “It don’t mean nothing,” said Andy.

“Well, I do’ ’no’,” said Uncle William. “It sounds nice, and when things sound nice, seems ’s if they must mean suthin’—down underneath somewheres.”

“Huh!” said Andy.


XVII

THE real-estate man and Andy were out behind the barn. There was a glimpse of the harbor in the distance, and behind them the moor rose to the horizon.