"Yes thinking we were desolate, I suppose. There has been no end to aunt Miriam's goodness and pleasantness."
"Oh, aunt Miriam, always!" said Fleda. "And Seth."
"Catherine Douglass has been up twice to ask if her mother could do anything for us; and Mrs. Douglass sent us once a rabbit, and once a quantity of wild pigeons that Earl had shot. Mother and I lived upon pigeons for I don't know how long. Barby wouldn't eat 'em she said she liked pork better; but I believe she did it on purpose."
"Like enough," said Fleda, smiling, from her aunt's arms where she still lay.
"And Seth has sent you plenty of your favourite hickory nuts, very fine ones; and I gathered butternuts enough for you near home."
"Everything is for me," said Fleda. "Well, the first thing I do shall be to make some butternut candy for you. You wont despise that Mr. Hugh?"
Hugh smiled at her, and went on.
"And your friend Mr. Olmney has sent us a corn-basket fill of the superbest apples you ever saw. He has one tree of the finest in Queechy, he says."
"My friend!" said Fleda, colouring a little.
"Well, I don't know whose he is, if he isn't yours," said Hugh. "And even the Finns sent us some fish that their brother had caught, because, they said, they had more than they wanted. And Dr. Quackenboss sent us a goose and a turkey. We didn't like to keep them, but we were afraid, if we sent them back, it would not be understood."