"I thought they'd shove down somehow," said the young lady. "Jerushy, _do_ pass the coffee! They're for anybody down there who'll take coffee. Tea'll be along presently," added Miss Cecilia, raising her voice a little to give the information. "Don't you trouble yourself, Mr. Linden." But Mr. Linden secured one, and carrying it down to Faith, requested her to stir it and taste it, and not give him the trouble of coming back with the sugar-bowl. "What will you have?" he said while she obeyed his directions. "Here are all the pies that can be thought of except the musical one recorded in history." "And so," said Faith with a laughing flash of her usually soft eye, "you immediately give me a desire for the one not here! It's like you, Mr. Linden. No, thank you--I'll have none of these. I believe Reuben has a desire for some of the clams he and I have roasted." "I'm afraid I cannot get them away from Squire Deacon!" he said, "but I'll try." The Squire however held fast to the dish, and rising from his place midway at the table, insisted upon taking it to Faith himself. "Miss Faith," he said, "you have ruined my supper by sitting down here. My appetite has quite forsaken me," (whereupon Jem Williams observed, "that warn't strange.")--"and the worst is," added the Squire, "I can't maintain the constant supervision of your plate which my feelings prompt. I am too far off"--he concluded in a melancholy tone. "I say, Squire!" said Jem Williams, "you bain't _mor_'n as far agin as _he_"--with a nod towards the upper end of the table. Squire Deacon lowered, but for the present his feelings were restrained. "Mr. Simlins," said Endecott, when he had resumed his seat, "I ask you--as one who knows the country--whereabouts does the concatenation you spoke of reach a climax?" "The star you look at is always the brightest," said the farmer. "However, I think the clams is the best thing at table--or _near_ the best," with a slight glance towards Squire Deacon and the dish at the 'well end.'"I've a legendary attachment to beauty, sir; my father married the three prettiest wives in the country." "I say, Squire," said Jem Williams, "Mr. Simlins says you'r' hot." "Hot?" said Squire Deacon, flushing up very much, and setting down the clams,--"that dish is. _I_'m as cool as all these cucumbers accumulated into a heap." "Hope you'll stay where you are, then," said Mr. Simlins. "I'm cool too. Don't come near me, or we shall be in a state of concentration." Mr. Linden remarked that that was an excellent point when reached. "What point?" said Squire Deacon, who had returned to his seat with the strong impression that everybody was laughing at him, under the special guidance of the new teacher. "You know mighty little of the points round here, I tell _you_." "The point of concentration is found in various places, sir," said Mr. Linden: "though I grant you it is rare."