turned to see who the new-comer might be.

"Here she is," cried a dozen voices; and the owners thereof rushed
forward to greet and embrace Miss Huldy Mason, the Deacon's daughter and
the most popular girl in the village.

'Zekiel turned and saw that she was alone. Evidently the city fellow had
not come with her.

Huldy was somewhat astonished at the warmth of her greeting, and was at
a loss to understand the reason for it, until Lindy Putnam said:

"Didn't he come with you?"

"Who?" asked Huldy, with wide-open eyes.

"Oh, you can't fool us," cried Tilly James. "'Zeke Pettengill told us
all about that city feller that's boarding down to your house. We were
just talking it over together, and he surmised that it might be the same
one that you met down to your aunt's house, when you went to Boston last
summer."

"As Mr. Pettengill seems to know so much about my gentlemen friends, if
you want any more information, no doubt he can supply it," said Huldy
coldly.

"'Zeke kinder thought," said Bob Wood, "that he might be tired, and
probably went to bed right after supper."

"Well, he didn't," said Huldy, now thoroughly excited, "he came with me,