haven't been about much for the last nine or ten years, that's a fact."

"Eleven," said Annie, trying to be gay with the hand-shaking, and wondering
if this were meeting the lower classes on common ground, and what Mr. Peck
would think of it.

"That so?" queried Gates. "Well, I declare! No wonder you've grown!" He
hacked out another laugh, and stood on the curb-stone looking at Annie a
moment. Then he asked, "Anything else, Mrs. Munger?"

"No; that's all. Tell me, Mr. Gates, how _do_ Mr. Peck and Mr. Gerrish
get on?" asked Mrs. Munger in a lower tone.

"Well," said Gates, "he's workin' round--the deacon's workin' round
gradually, I guess. I guess if Mr. Peck was to put in a little more
brimstone, the deacon'd be all right. He's a great hand for brimstone,
you know, the deacon is."

Mrs. Munger laughed again, and then she said, with a proselyting sigh,
"It's a pity you couldn't all find your way into the Church."

"Well, may be it _would_ be a good thing," said Gates, as Mrs. Munger
gathered up her reins and chirped to her pony.

"He isn't a member of Mr. Peck's church," she explained to Annie; "but
he's one of the society, and his wife's very devout Orthodox. He's a great
character, we think, and he'll treat you very well, if you keep on the
right side of him. They say he cheats awfully in the weight, though."