"Get rid on him--_I_ say," replied the Squire promptly. "Then here he is, leadin' all the girls round town, and for all any one of 'em knows he's a married man." "Humph I think so?--What do the folks say of him?" said Mr. Simlins. "There's Mrs. Derrick--what does _she_ say of him--he's in her house, she ought to have an idee. And Faith--now I'd take that gal's judgment on a most anything--What do _they_ think about him, Squire?" "Never asked 'em a word," said the Squire stoutly--"nor heard 'em say one, neither. But he gets fur'n letters all the time, Widow Stamp says--and female writin' too. Who knows but he's got a wife in some fur'n country?--or two"--added the Squire, without specifying where the plural belonged. "I'm a justice of peace, Mr. Simlins, and this shouldn't be let go on." Mr. Simlins looked up from under his brows with a queer look at his host. "If he has _two_, he must want the school--bad!"--said he. "Well Squire, I'll go along and see what can be done. If I was you, mean time, I'd not say much to no one. There's Judge Harrison, you know;--we can't act without him. Good night t'ye! Squire, I guess he haint _two?_--Anyhow, I wouldn't let fly no warrants till I saw my bird sitting somewhere. It's bad to have 'em hit in a wrong place." And it was well it was darkish and nobody to look at him; for Mr. Simlins went grinning pretty much all the way between Squire Deacon's house and the house of Mrs. Derrick, where Mr. Linden was entertaining his shadow in the moonlit porch. "Good even to you!" growled Mr. Simlins as he came up. The grin was gone, and the farmer stood with his wonted solemnity of face and manner. "Where's the rest o' your folks?" "The rest of _my_ folks are a good way off, Mr. Simlins," said the person addressed, giving the questioner his hand; while his shadow exchanged civilities with the shadow of Mr. Simlins. "When did you come back? I am glad to see you?" "I'm glad to see myself," said Mr. Simlins. "There's no State like Connecticut, sir. Where's _your_ bringin' up place? "No one place has had that honour, Mr. Simlins,--I have been brought up from one to another." "Not Connecticut, eh?" "Not altogether--I am here just now, as you see,--getting a part of my education. I am one of the Say and Seal people in a way. Won't you come in, Mr. Simlins?" "Well--I'd as lief see Faith and Mrs. Derrick as a'most any other two folks in Pattaquasset,--but they're a long ways off, you say?" "No further than the parlour, I believe." Mr. Simlins was willing to go as far as the parlour, and so the party on the porch adjourned thither. A bright lamp lit the room, by which Faith was mending stockings; while Mrs. Derrick sat in an easy chair a little further off, rocking and knitting. "Well," said Mr. Simlins, "when the sun goes down _I_ think it is time to knock off work; but womenkind don't seem to think so." "I guess when the sun goes down your work's knocked off, Mr. Simlins," said Mrs. Derrick.