And his overwhelming courage put some semblance of confidence into the
more timid heart of his wife, until by the end of the week she was as
eager as he.

Nancy was tremblingly requested to take a two weeks' vacation, and great
was the rejoicing when she graciously acquiesced.

On a bright February morning the journey began. It was not a long one--
four hours only--and the time flew by as on wings of the wind. Reuben
assumed an air of worldly wisdom, quite awe-inspiring to his wife. He
had visited Boston as a boy, and so had a dim idea of what to expect;
moreover, he had sold stock and produce in the large towns near his
home, and on the whole felt quite self-sufficient.

As the long train drew into the station, and they alighted and followed
the crowd, Mrs. Gray looked with round eyes of wonder at the people--she
had not realized that there were so many in the world, and she clung
closer and closer to Reuben, who was marching along with a fine show of
indifference.

"There," said he, as he deposited his wife and his bags in a seat in the
huge waiting-room; "now you stay right here, an' don't you move. I'm
goin' to find out about hotels and things."

He was gone so long that she was nearly fainting from fright before she
spied his dear form coming toward her. His thin, plain face looked
wonderfully beautiful to her, and she almost hugged him right before all
those people.

"Well, I've got a hotel all right; but I hain't been here for so long