The Reverend Kittridge shakes hands with an air as he would sound my
doctrine on the spot, and Rebecca hastens to add that I am "a
very--_old--old_ friend."

"Not so _very_ old, Rebecca, not so very long ago since you and I read
over the same lesson-books. Do you mind the copy-heads on the
writing-books?

"'_Heaven to find. The Bible mind. In Adam's fall we sinn'ed all.
Adam lived a lonely life until he got himself a wife._'"

But at that last, which was not to be found among the head-lines of
Boston's old copy-books, little Rebecca looked like to drop, and with a
frightened gesture begged us to be seated, which we all accomplished
with a perceptible stiffening of the young gentleman's joints.

"Is M. Radisson back?" she asks.

"He reached England yesterday. He bade me say that he will be here
after he meets the shareholders. He goes to present furs to the king
this morning."

"That will please Lady Kirke," says the young gentleman.

"Some one else is back in England," exclaims Rebecca, with the air of
news. "Ben Gillam is here."

"O-ho! Has he seen the Company?"