you think so, Miss--? Er--Nickerson,' says he, 'introduce me to our
other neighbor.'

"So I had to do it, though I didn't want to. He turned loose some soft
soap about not realizing afore what a beautiful place the Cape was. I
thought 'twas time to go.

"'But Miss Saunders hasn't answered my question yet,' says Allie. 'Don't
YOU think neighbors ought to be friends, Miss Saunders?'

"Barbara blushed and laughed and said she guessed they had. Then she
walked away. I started to follow, but Allie stopped me.

"'Look here, Nickerson,' says he. 'I let you off this time, but don't
try it again; do you hear?'

"'I hear,' says I. 'You and that hyena of yours have had all the fun
this morning. Some day, maybe, the boot'll be on t'other leg.'

"Barbara was waiting for me. We walked on together without speaking for
a minute. Then I says, to myself like: 'So that's old man Davidson's
son, is it? Well, he's the prize peach in the crate, he is!'

"Barbara was thinking, too. 'He's very nice looking, isn't he?' says
she. 'Twas what you'd expect a girl to say, but I hated to hear her say
it. I went home and marked a big chalk-mark on the inside of my shanty
door, signifying that I had a debt so pay some time or other.

"So that's how I got acquainted with Allie V. P. Davidson. And, what's
full as important, that's how he got acquainted with Barbara Saunders.