All that they found at first were a few lumber-wagons, a market-wagon, and now and then a group of boys playing; but finally they came upon a store, at the door of which several long-limbed countrymen were talking and chewing tobacco. I should have said "chewing and talking;" for the chewing was much more vigorously prosecuted than the talking. The presence of the strangers, one a lady in a plain but very stylish dress, attracted some attention; the men surveyed them in a leisurely, undazzled way, hardly making room for them to pass; for, having seen the sign POST-OFFICE in the window of this store, Dick and Mary concluded to enter and make inquiries. The afternoon sun streamed in upon the floor; the flies buzzed at the windows; and a man, with his hat on and his chair tilted back, was at the back of the store. He made no sign of changing his position when he first saw the strangers, not because Mr. Wilkes was any less well disposed toward "the ladies" than a city merchant would be, but because country people fancy it is more dignified to show indifference than politeness. In time, however, he tilted down his chair, freed his great mouth from its load of tobacco, and lounged up to the counter where Mary and Dick were standing. "I want to ask you a question," Dick answered to the storekleeper's look; "I suppose you know this town pretty well?" Dick was so afraid of the answer that he did not know how to put a direct question in regard to Dr. Heremore. "Rather," was the laconic reply, with no change of the speaker's countenance. "Do you know if a Dr. Heremore lived here once, twenty-five years or so ago?" "I wasn't here in them days," for Mr. Wilkes was a young man who did not care to be old. "I did not suppose you did know, of your own knowledge; I thought you might have heard." "I suppose you have come to see him?" "Or to hear of him," added Dick. "Come from Boston or York, I suppose?" "From New York," answered Dick; "can you tell us who is likely to give us information?" {189} "About the old doctor?" asked Mr. Wilkes in the same impassive manner. "Yes," said Dick, rather impatiently. "I suppose you are relations o' his?" "We came to get information, not to give it," Dick replied in a quiet tone but inwardly vexed. "Well," answered the storekeeper, not in the least abashed by this rebuke, "there's an old fellow lives up yonder, who knows pretty much everything's been done here for the last forty years; you'd better go to him; if any one knows, he does. Better not be too techy with _him_, I can tell you, if you want to find out anything; people as wants to take must give too, you know. That there road will take you straight to the house; white house, first on the left after you come to the meeting house." "Thank you; and the name?" "Well, folks usually calls him 'The Governor' round here; you, being strangers, can call him what you please." "Will he like a stranger's calling?"