The girl followed him from the room, casting a glance back at the peddler, who had stooped over his pack, and was throwing out various articles, at the bidding of Katrine.
“Do you know what I will bring from Boston when I come again?” said he.
“No,” said Katrine, with a smile. “What?”
“A ring and a minister.”
“What for?” asked Katrine, in sublime unconsciousness.
“If you don’t know now you will know then,” was the answer. “You’d better have this dress made up against that time.” With this he kissed her again, arranged his pack, and left the house, making his way back to the house of Paul Swedlepipe.
CHAPTER IV.
BOSTON “SHEATS” THE LEAN DUTCHMAN, AND TURNS UP IN HIS REAL CHARACTER.
Boston found Paul Swedlepipe exercising the horse which he had so lately bought from him. Beyond a strong desire to get his hind feet higher than his head when hard pressed, and a tendency to roll upon his rider when spurred, Paul had no fault to find with his purchase. He found that the little beast really possessed great powers of endurance, and was tolerably swift. The truth of the matter was, Boston had purchased the pony for his own use, and not to sell. The pleasant little fiction on his part, in regard to his having been purchased for Mynheer Ten Eyck, was made up on the spur of the moment, to induce Swedlepipe to buy, for Boston never missed any opportunity for a trade.
Not being cheated so badly as he expected, Swedlepipe was in good humor, and received the peddler with a smile, even while he restrained an attempt to kick on the part of the Narragansett.