"I'm not sure of it," said the doctor meditatively. "'Folks out of the house'--well! It strikes me I've been 'in' to little purpose this afternoon."--He rose again. "Where is Mr. Linden? is he 'out', or 'in', this fine day?" "He's out this afternoon," said Mrs. Derrick. "I was thinking to ask you if you wanted to see him, and then I knew it was no use." "Yes, I should like to see him," said the doctor; "but as he is a mortal like myself, I suppose I can find him another time by the use of proper precautions." And Dr. Harrison took his departure. Mrs. Derrick on her part went upstairs again, and opening the door merely peeped in this time. "What is it, mother?" "Are you busy yet, child?" "Not quite through." "I thought," said Mrs. Derrick stepping softly into the room, "that we'd go down to the shore this afternoon, and maybe dig some clams. I don't know but it's too late for that--we might ride down and see. You're tired, pretty child--and other people won't like that a bit more than I do." "I'd like to go, mother--I'm almost done, and I'm not tired," Faith said with happy eyes. "There is time, I guess, for Mr. Linden don't want tea as early as usual. I'll come soon." Mrs. Derrick withdrew softly, and again Faith was entirely lost in her business. But she had nearly done now; the work was presently finished, the books put up in order, and the papers, with the exercise on top; and Faith stood a moment looking down at it. Not satisfied, but too humble to have any false shame, too resolute to doubt of being satisfied and of satisfying somebody else, by and by. And the intellectual part of her exercise she thought, and with modest reason, would satisfy him now. Then she went down to her mother, quite ready for the beach or for anything else. It was one of those very warm October days which unlearned people call Indian summer,--the foreground landscape yellow with stubble fields and sered forest, the distance blue with haze. So soft and still, that the faint murmur of the wheels as they rolled along the sandy road sounded as if at a distance, and the twittering birds alone set off the silence. Now and then came a farm wagon loaded with glowing corn, then the field where the bereaved pumpkins lay among the bundles of cornstalks. Sportsmen passed with their guns, schoolboys with their nut-bags, and many were the greetings Faith received; for since the day at Neanticut every boy thought he had a right to take off his hat to her. From the midst of his cornfield, Mr. Simlins gave them a wave of his hand,--from the midst of its blue waters the Sound sent a fresh welcome. "I declare, child," said Mrs. Derrick, as they neared the shore, "it's real pleasant!" "The tide's out, mother," said Faith, who had the spirit of action upon her to-day--"we can get some clams now, if we're quick."