'I didn't know but you'd come from Grizzle's, and I don't like him; he's a good-for-nothin' old varmint, and he's spilin' all the men and boys in the place; and I told Bloodgood I'd rather throw the potatoes in the creek than let him have one on 'em.' So she went to work with a good will to tell their errand. 'Who sent 'em? Grizzle?' 'No, no; you think there is nobody in the whole creation world to buy anything but Grizzle.' And then raising her voice to the very loudest-- 'Nobody sent 'em; they come o' themselves, and they'll pay you the money right down when you take 'em the things.' 'Well, well, that will do,'--and he smiled then, for the first time, as he looked at the boys--'that'll do; you shall have 'em; let me know when you want 'em.' And now Mrs. Bloodgood would insist upon their going in, and taking something to eat. In vain it was they protested that they were not hungry, having eaten a lunch on their way. 'I know better than that. I know what boys are; they can always eat; so if you won't go in, don't either on you stir one step till I come out.' In she ran, and in a moment appeared again with one-half of a large bread-cake, which she had just taken from the griddle, with a lump of butter on the top of it, and she with a knife spreading it on; but there was no occasion for the knife, for the butter was running like snow in summer, and dripping over the sides of the cake. 'Here, boys, take this;' breaking it in two, and giving each half 'I _know_ it will taste good.' CHAPTER VI. A few evenings after the events recorded in the last chapter, Sam started from home on his way to meet Jim and Ned. When but a short distance from his house, to his surprise he met William Andrews; he was on his way to visit the Montjoys, and designed calling upon Sam that he might accompany him to their house. 'I am going to see them,' said Sam; 'but they will not be at the house. Such fine evenings as this we meet at a large rock near by--they will be as glad to see you as I am.' The rock was large enough to accommodate the whole of them; but Ned preferred the grass for his seat; he and Jowler had always some business of their own to attend to, and very frequently they would both be rolling together on the ground. The moon was rising beautifully, and a long streak of light played across the expanse of water at a distance, dancing on the waves that were formed by the fresh sea-breeze, and, nearer the shore, where the water lay smooth and unruffled, marking a line of clear silver light, as from the surface of a mirror.