An old man, with his thin white locks dangling on his shoulders, placed his half-emptied tumbler on the bench beside him, and turning his head very emphatically on one side, said, 'Oakum is naturally a smart man, and he has got a clever wife, but somehow he don't get along much--no better than the rest of us.' 'And what is the reason, Uncle John,' said another, addressing the last speaker, 'that we are all so poor?' 'Why, I s'pose it's to be so--it's our luck, as I take it.' 'Our _luck_?' said the young man, who stood by the door with his hands in his pockets, looking at the receding form of Sam Oakum, whose light steps were carrying him far on his way--he laid a strong emphasis on the word luck. 'Yes, as I take it, it's our luck; a man may work ever so hard, but if luck is agin him, it's no use.' 'Yes, it is use,' said the same young man; 'that is, if a man would let rum alone--that makes the bad luck; I wish there had never been a drop made.' 'What's that you say, Bill? I guess your bitters is gone down the wrong way this morning.' And old Grizzle laughed heartily, and so did his customers. Bill, as he was called, laughed a little too, but not as the rest did. 'S'pose you mix Bill another glass, Mr. Grizzle, and see how that will go?' And they all laughed again; and to carry the joke through, Grizzle did prepare another glass, and placing it on the counter, 'There, try that, Bill; but may be you darsen't, you seem to be so afraid all at once.' Bill hesitated a moment; the fear of ridicule was too powerful. He seized the glass, and pouring its contents hastily down his throat, left the store amidst the uproarious laughter of his companions. Jim and Ned had collected a much larger quantity of vegetables for their second trip, and to the baskets of strawberries which they designed as gifts, added a beautiful nosegay of the earlier flowers. 'Strawberries and flowers,' said Sam, as he was pushing the boat from the shore; 'your things look tempting indeed; I guess old Peter will hop round when he sees these.' 'I have brought that small basket on purpose for him; and the flowers I thought the ladies might be pleased with--I don't think they see many where they are.' 'It almost makes me feel bad, Jim, to think that I have nothing to carry worth looking at.' 'Why, it is all one concern, you know, Sam; and I mean to have you hand them the flowers.' 'I shan't do it, Jim--I should make a pretty figure, with my old patched clothes and bare feet, handing flowers to ladies and gentlemen!' 'Sam Oakum, if you talk so, you'll make me feel bad; who cares for your clothes?' '_You_ don't Jim, I know; but all don't feel as you and Ned do--Keep her head to the point, Jim, straight as you can.' Sam had much more rowing to do than on the former trip, the wind not coming quite so soon to their aid. Peter was on the look-out for them, and hailed them before they reached the landing.