"I might about as well, I suppose," said Calista. "I should not have mentioned the matter at all if you had not asked me." "Don't be pert, miss. I suppose you want to show off your charity at my expense; but you must make up mind to be mortified for once." "For once!" thought Calista. But she said, cheerfully: "Oh, it won't mortify me at all, Aunt Priscilla. All the girls will know that it is your doing and not mine, and so will every one else." "You might let the child have a little money for once," said Miss Druett. "Money indeed! You talk as if I were made of money!" said Miss Priscilla. "Money to furnish the parsonage! Let Mr. Lee furnish his own parsonage. Money indeed! Money!" The party relapsed into silence, which was maintained till Chloe came to take the tea-things. Miss Priscilla, with her own hands, carefully removed some infinitesimal particles of butter from the plates and replaced them on the dish. "There is enough for your supper and David's," said she, anxiously. "You won't need to use any more." Chloe sniffed the air contemptuously, but made no reply. "What made you so late coming home?" asked Miss Druett. "I came by the river road," replied Calista. "Why did you do that? It is longer and very lonely." "Yes, I know, and I don't think I shall try it again; at least on foot." "Did you see anybody?" "Yes, I saw old Cassius and his wife, and had quite a talk with him." "Cassius—what about Cassius?" asked Miss Priscilla. "Nothing, aunt, only I was saying I saw him and had a little talk with him." "I won't have you talking with every one you meet," said Miss Priscilla, sharply; "you are just such another as your father—hail fellow, well met, with half the vagabonds in the country." "I should not call Cassius a vagabond," said Calista, too much accustomed to Miss Priscilla's remarks about her father to mind them as another girl would. "He has a nice little farm, with everything comfortable about him, and seems as contented as the day is long. But I did meet a vagabond, Miss Druett," said Calista; "the queerest-looking old fellow I ever saw. Cassius calls him Old Zeke. He says the old man and his wife are treasure-seekers, and know more than they ought to. Do you know anything about him, Miss Druett?" she asked, seeing, or fancying, that Miss Druett looked uneasy. "A little," replied Miss Druett. "He used to hang about here, years ago. He and his wife are miserable cheats and impostors. I hope poor Cassius is not taken in by him." "I should say there was no danger," said Calista. "Cassius says that, even if they did find the pirate's money, it would be bloody gold and would bring ill luck; and besides, he has enough without it." "Has he? He must be rich, then!" "I don't think it always takes riches to make people contented," observed Calista; "just see Miss Hannah and Miss Betsy, how happy they are!"