“No, I say it from my own conviction. Are you tired of all this? Would you like to slip off into a quieter place? We can’t go home till morning, you know, and they will keep this up till daybreak. I will make way for you, if you care to go somewhere else.” He shouldered his way past the merrymakers, and Agnes followed. They passed out into the lean-to, and from thence into one of the outbuildings where stood the loom, and which was known as the weaving room. “I discovered this safe retreat some time ago,” said Parker. “I know where there is a pile of sheepskins; I will get some, and you two can lie down and take a rest.” He disappeared and soon returned with the skins which he threw on the floor. There was no light in the room save such as came from the moonlight which shone through the small window, but it was not needed by the mother and daughter who lay down side by side, glad of an opportunity of taking a longed-for rest, while Parker locked the door on them. Sandy and the other boys of his size had taken refuge in the stable; the smaller children were huddled together in one of the rooms indoors, for their mothers were obliged to bring them or to stay at home from the wedding, a thing not to be thought of. Up and down in the moonlight paced Parker, keeping watch while Agnes and her mother slept. It was against all custom to allow any one to escape for the purpose of taking a nap, and he knew that the two would be hunted up as soon as they were missed, but he determined that they should not be disturbed if he could help it, and when a mischievous searcher came prowling around, he succeeded in eluding detection till they had tried the door and, finding it fast, had returned to the house. At early dawn the sound of the boisterous fun was still to be heard, but with the daylight, the procession was ready to form again, and the revellers returned to their several homes. David’s prolonged absence had prevented the putting of his cabin in complete order for his bride, but the housewarming was soon to be, and the day after it Jeanie would move to her new home. Polly, jaded and fagged out, could do nothing but sleep the day after the wedding, and, indeed, there were few in the community who felt like attending with much spirit to their accustomed duties, and only the older people, who had been excused from sitting up all night, were feeling bright and fresh. “We are lucky in not having two or three days of it,” said Parker, as he parted with Agnes and her mother; “we’re let off well this time, because of the M’Cleans’ desire in the matter, but if you ever go to Jerry Hunter’s wedding, for instance, I promise you that the frolic will keep up for nearly a week. We don’t often get a chance to do this sort of thing, and when we do, it seems as if we didn’t know when to stop. You will not forget, all of you, that you are to come over and have supper with me as soon as my place is in order, so hold yourselves in readiness.”