remainder of the evening devoted herself to the entertainment of Uncle
Jim and his wife Aunt Dolly.

That evening, Mr. Knight, who had been to the Post Office, called at
Mrs. Mason's, bringing with him a letter which bore the Boston
postmark. Passing it to Mary, he winked at Mrs. Mason, saying, "I
kinder guess how all this writin' works will end; but hain't there
been a young chap to see the school?"

"Yes; how did you know it," returned Mrs. Mason, while Mary blushed
more deeply than she did when Billy's letter was handed her.

"Why, you see," answered Mr. Knight, "I was about at the foot of the
Blanchard hill, when I see a buggy comin' like Jehu. Just as it got
agin me it kinder slackened, and the fore wheel ran off smack and
scissors."

"Was he hurt?" quickly asked Mary.

"Not a bit on't," said Mr. Knight, "but he was scared some, I guess. I
got out and helped him, and when he heard I's from Rice Corner, he
said he'd been into school. Then he asked forty-'leven questions about
you, and jest as I was settin' you up high, who should come a
canterin' up with their long-tailed gowns, and hats like men, but Ella
Campbell, and a great white-eyed pucker that came home with her from
school. Either Ella's horse was scary, or she did it a purpose, for
the minit she got near, it began to rare and she would have fell off,
if that man hadn't catched it by the bit, and held her on with t'other
hand. I allus was the most sanguinary of men, (Mr. Knight was never so
far wrong in his life,) and I was buildin' castles about him, and our