square into the road that led to the Deacon's house they met Ezekiel
Pettengill. Huldy nodded gayly and Quincy raised his hat, but Ezekiel
was not acquainted with city customs and did not return the salutation.
A few moments later the Professor and Abner Stiles were relating to him
the exciting occurrences of the last half hour.




CHAPTER V.

MR. SAWYER MEETS UNCLE IKE.


Quincy Adams Sawyer had not come down to Mason's Corner with any idea of
becoming a hermit. His father was a great lawyer and a very wealthy man.
He had made Quincy a large allowance during his college days, and had
doubled it when his only son entered his law office to complete his
studies.

Quincy had worked hard in two ways; first, to read law, so as to realize
the great anticipations that his father had concerning him; second, he
worked still harder between eight in the evening and one, two, and even
four in the morning, to get rid of the too large allowance that his
father made him.

Like all great men, his father was unsuspicious and easily hoodwinked
about family matters; so when Quincy grew listless and on certain
occasions fell asleep at his desk his renowned and indulgent father
decided it was due to overwork and sent him down to Eastborough for a