"A minister visited him in his cell and prayed with him and preached at him till the Indian begged the jailer to hurry up the hanging. He preferred it to any more talk. "This harness was getting about as rusty as my old bones and needed oiling badly. And now, neighbours, is there anything I can do for you?" "Well, Mr. Hancock, your remark just now about your age is to the point. Some years ago you had the help of your good son Ebenezer, whose loss we all deplore. And some of us have been considering your great age, and the numerous and hard duties you perform; and we have thought it might be well if you had some assistance and aid. We know that it used to be common to have a couple of elders to assist the pastor; and thought that you might find it pleasant to revive the office, and have the help of two elders." Mr. Hancock thought for a moment and said: "That's an excellent notion. But where can we find men ready to fulfil the duties of the office?" "Well, Uriah and me have been talking it over, and we would be willing to take the office, for the sake of helping you." "I suppose you know the duties of elders?" "No! But you know all about it, and could tell us." "Well, gentlemen, the duties of elders have never been very clearly defined in the church. But latterly they have settled down to this. The younger elder is to brush down and harness the pastor's horse when he wishes to ride out, and the elder is to accompany him, when he goes out of town, and pay his bills. I should be glad to have you appointed." Uriah gave a gasp, and said: "Hello! It looks as if there was a shower coming up, and my hay's out. Good-by, Mr. Hancock; we'll see you another day." The bishop looked after them, as they walked away, and turned round with a twinkle in his eye. Seeing us laughing, he laughed too, and said:-- [Sidenote: NO ELDERS IN MR. HANCOCK'S DAY] "I don't believe we shall have any elders in Lexington, boys. At least, not in my day." CHAPTER III IN WHICH ARE DETAILS OF A GREAT FOX HUNT When the winter came there were a great many quail about our barn. Smiling Bill Smith, who worked for us,--Old Bill Smiley some folks called him, on account of the broad grin he always wore,--said to me:-- "Them whales, Ben, pretty near bother the life out of me. They creep in through the cracks and crannies and eat the grain. If I go over by the grain chest, the first thing I know, there's a whir, and a cloud of them darts up in front of my face. Sometimes it makes my heart come right up in my mouth. I wish there wasn't a whale round the place." "Quails, Bill. What makes you call them whales?" "Whales I heard them called when I was a boy, and whales they are to me." [Sidenote: CATCHING QUAIL] "Perhaps you think it was one of these whales that swallowed Jonah?" "I never did think so, Benny. But if he did, it was a miracle, sure enough."