"Wise? Of course it is!" she returned decidedly. "Why, Caleb, don't you know?--we've always wanted to go to the city; and Cousin John said he 'd give you a place in his store any time, so you'll earn something to start with right away. We never dared to before, you know, for you wa'n't sure how you'd do; but now we 've got all this money we shan't have to worry a mite. Oh, isn't it just splendid, Caleb?" "Yes; but--" he hesitated. "Why, Caleb, I don't believe you appreciate it a bit!" "Oh, I do, indeed I do, Sarah, but--" again he hesitated. "But there is n't any 'but,' Caleb," laughed Sarah, and turned to a boy of twelve and a girl of fourteen who entered the room at that moment. "We've got it all settled, children. We 're going to Boston, sure, this fall." "Oh, mother!"--Ethel's hands came together in ecstasy, while Fred whooped in glee. "There's the lovely big stores and the people," cried Ethel. "And the cars and Bunker Hill Monument," supplemented Fred. "And we won't ever have to come back to this snippy little town," continued Ethel. "My, won't Bill Higgins just stare!" interposed Fred. "Oh, I say, sis, we might come back just once, you know, just to tell them about things." "Yes, that's so," agreed Ethel readily; "and--say, let's tell them now that we're going. Come on!" she finished over her shoulder as she flew through the door. "There, Caleb, I told you how it would be," smiled Mrs. Dalton as the door banged behind Fred; then, anxiously: "You would n't want to spoil it all, now, would you?" "N-no; but--no, no, of course not," murmured Caleb, rising to his feet and crossing to the outside door with heavy, slow-moving steps. This was in August. By the middle of September such household goods as the Daltons had planned to take with them were packed, burlapped, crated, and labeled. It had been Mrs. Dalton's idea to sell the rest of the furniture and the farm at auction, but just here she encountered an unexpected but stubborn resistance from her husband. Consequently, the remainder of the goods were stored in the attic, and the farm was rented until the first of May--the house being close to the village, it made a not undesirable winter residence. A longer lease than this Caleb would not grant, in spite of his wife's remonstrances. "Just as if we would want to come back by May, Caleb!" she scoffed. "Why, by that time we shall be real city folks, and you 'll be a partner in the business, maybe." "Hm-m,--maybe," echoed Caleb imperturbably; "but--we'll see when May comes."