of Abner Bacheldor, Jimmie's father--Mary-'Gusta, walking in that field,
was depressed and melancholy. Her state of mind was indicated by the
fact that she had left all her dolls, even Rose and Rosette, at home.
She felt guilty and wicked and conscience-stricken. She had been a bad
girl; only one other knew how bad she had been and he, being guilty
likewise, would not betray her. But at home Isaiah Chase was, as he
said, "heatin' himself to a bile" baking apple turnovers for her to
take to the picnic. And Captain Shadrach had announced his intention
of bringing her, from the store, candy and bananas to go into the lunch
basket with the turnovers and sandwiches and cake. And the Captain had
that very day called her a good girl. If he only knew!

There had been a flurry of excitement in the kitchen just after dinner.
Mr. Bacheldor had appeared at the door with the request that he might
"borrer the loan of Cap'n Gould's shotgun." The day before, at a quarter
after four--Mr. Bacheldor was certain as to the time because he had been
"layin' down two or three minutes on the sofy afore goin' out to look at
some wood there was to cut in the shed, and I'd just got up and looked
at the clock afore I looked out of the settin'-room winder"--looking out
of that window he had seen a cat running from his henyard with one of
his recently hatched Plymouth Rock chickens in its mouth.

"If I'd had a gun then," declared Abner, "I could have blowed the
critter to thunder-and-gone. But I'll get him next time. Let me have the
gun, will you, Isaiah? I know Shad'll say it's all right when you tell
him."

That shotgun was a precious arm. It had been given to the Captain years
before by the officers of a sinking schooner, whom Shadrach's boat's
crew, led by Shadrach himself, had rescued at a big risk off the Great