accept this proposal, not only because he was to receive twenty-five
cents for so doing, but also because he was fond of driving a horse.

He was only about a mile from the mill village, when he saw approaching
him a man in a light open buggy. Herbert knew every horse in Waverley,
and every man, woman, and child, for that matter, and he perceived at
once that the driver was a stranger. To tell the truth, he was not very
favorably impressed by his appearance. The man was very dark, with black
hair and an unshaven beard of three days' growth, which did not set off
his irregular and repulsive features. His mouth, partly open, revealed
several yellow tusks, stained with tobacco juice. On his head he wore a
broad-brimmed straw hat, rather the worse for wear.

It so happened that just at this point the middle of the road was much
better than the sides, which sloped considerably, terminating in gullies
which were partly full from the recent rains. The road was narrow, being
wide enough for two vehicles to pass each other, if each veered to the
side, but not otherwise.

Herbert observed that the buggy, which was now rapidly approaching, was
kept in the center of the road, and that the driver appeared to have no
intention of turning out.

"What does he mean?" thought our hero. "He cannot expect me to do the
whole of the turning out. I will turn out my half, and if he wants to
get by, he must do the same."

Accordingly, he turned partially to one side, as much as could be
reasonably expected, and quietly awaited the approach of the man in the
buggy. The latter still kept the center of the road, and did not turn