Faith flushed up too on her part a little, unconsciously; and asked who else was going. "Sam _aint_"--said Joe, as if that was all he cared about. "Only the boys, Miss Faith," said Reuben with another glance at his comrade. "But it's a pretty place over there,--and so's the ride. There's room for Mrs. Derrick too if she'd like it," Reuben added,--"I suppose we shall be gone all day." "It's very good of you to come and ask me, both of you," said Faith, evidently in perplexity;--"and I should like to go dearly if I can, Reuben--but I am afraid I can't. I am glad if the wagon's big enough to hold you all without me. You'll have a great time." "You may say that!" said Joe--while Reuben looked down, disappointed. "We didn't know whether you would," he said--"but Mr. Linden said you wouldn't be displeased at our asking. We asked him first, Miss Faith--or we shouldn't have made so free. And you shall have some of the nuts, anyway!" A little cheered with which view of the subject, Reuben made his bow, and Joe Deacon whistled after him out of the gate. Faith looked after them, disappointed too. There was a grave set of the lines of her mouth, and it was with rather a thoughtful face that she looked down the road for a minute. Then remembering the volume of Prescott in her hand, which her finger still kept open, she went up stairs again and set herself down to finish her treasure. Faith's reading-place, it must be known, was no other than a deep window-seat in Mr. Linden's room. That was a large, old-fashioned room, as has been said, with brown wainscottings and corner and window cupboards; and having on two sides a pleasant exposure, the light generally made it a winsome place to look at. Now, in this October weather, it came in mellow and golden from a softened sun and changing foliage; the brown wood and white walls and dark old furniture and rich bindings of books, all mingled in the sunlight to make a rich sunny picture.