"I am glad to have Reuben along," said Faith. "And I suppose we must take our dinner with us, Mr. Linden?" "I have no doubt there will be dinner enough from other quarters," he answered, "but how much of it will be like Mrs. Seacomb's tea I cannot say. I think it would be safe to take a very little basket--such as would suffice for two ladies." "O with Reuben we can manage nicely," said Faith joyously. He looked at her--pleased with her pleasure. "Don't make any grand preparation for me," he said,--"you know I must eat in commons--for the same reason that I cannot offer to drive you over." "Does that mean that you will have to take a piece out of everybody's basket?" "As near as possible!" Faith shook her head, but made no further remark. Early Saturday morning, before any other steps had brushed the dew from the grassy roadside, Reuben Taylor was on his way from the rocky coast point where he lived to the smooth well-ordered abode of Mr. Simlins. Receiving from that gentleman the key of the old house at Neanticut, and having harnessed the horses to the big wagon under his special directions, Reuben drove down to the village, put horses and wagon in safe keeping, and reported himself at Mrs. Derrick's. All things there being in readiness, that small turn-out was soon on its way; leaving Mr. Linden to look after his own much larger consignment. And despite the presence of Reuben Mrs. Derrick chose to drive; because, as she said, "when she had the reins in her own hands, she knew which way the horse was going." The road for awhile went on towards Mrs. Seacomb's, but passing the turn into the woods kept on its uneven way to the ferry. The natural hedges--all glittering with dew--shewed little colour but in the leaves. The fair clethra and the sweet clematis had ended their short reign and were gone, and high-coloured sumachs flamed out in insurrection. Now the country became more hilly, and where the eastern portion of Pattaquasset lay close upon the Mong, the road went down by a succession of steep pitches to its shore Then the road ran on through a sort of half drained marsh--varied in its course by holes and logs and a little bridge, and then they were at the ferry.