The women were not uncomely, nor did they dress in outlandish manner.
Great is the sway of the modern Catalogue House! But their speech was
blunt and the three topics of conversation most popular were the fish
harvest, clamming, and summer boarders.

"Land sakes! is that you, Em'line Scudder? What sent you cruisin' in
these waters? I thought you never got away from the Haven."

"Good-day, Mrs. Eldredge. You're fairin' well? I just _had_ to come
over to Littlebridge for some fixin's. My boarders will be 'long and I
got to freshen the house up a little."

"You goin' to have the same folks you had last year, Em'line?"

"Oh, yes. They're real nice---for city people. I tell Barzillai----"

"How is Barzillai?"

"Middlin'. His leg ain't never been just right since he was helpin' ice
the _Tryout_, come two summers ago. You know, one o' them big cakes from
the ice fact'ry fell on him. . . . I tell Barzillai the city folks are a
godsend to us Cape Codders in summer time, now that sea-goin' don't seem
so pop'lar with the men as it useter be."

"I dunno. Some of these city folks don't seem to be sent by the Lord,
but by the other feller!" was the grim rejoinder. "I had tryin' times
with my crowd last summer; and the children with 'em was a
visitation--like the plagues of Egypt!"