“And now, Brown, tell me, is Mr. Middleton’s family coming in at the first of the year?” inquired Ishmael anxiously.

“Oh, no, sir! the house is a deal too damp.  In some places it leaks awful in rainy weather.  There be a lot of repairs to be made.  So it won’t be ready for the family much afore the spring, if then.”

“I am sorry to hear that.  Will you give me Mr. Middleton’s address?”

“His—­which, sir?”

“Tell me where I can write to him.”

“Oh! he is at Washington, present speaking; Franklin Square, Washington City; that will find him.”

“Thank you.”  And shaking hands with the worthy overseer Ishmael departed.

And the same day he wrote and posted a letter to Mr. Middleton.

The intervening two weeks between that day and Christmas were spent by Ishmael, as usual, in work and study.  He made up the whole year’s accounts for Reuben Gray, and put his farm books in perfect order.  While Ishmael was engaged in this latter job, it occurred to him that he could not always be at hand to assist Reuben, and that it would be much better for Gray to learn enough of arithmetic and bookkeeping to make him independent of other people’s help in keeping his accounts.

So when Ishmael brought him his books one evening and told him they were all in order up to that present day, and Reuben said: 

“Thank you, Ishmael!  I don’t know what I should do without you, my lad!” Ishmael answered him, saying very earnestly: 

“Uncle Reuben, all the events of life are proverbially very uncertain; and it may happen that you may be obliged to do without me; in which case, would it not be well for you to be prepared for such a contingency?”

“What do you mean, Ishmael?” inquired Gray, in alarm.

“I mean—­had you not better learn to keep your books yourself, in case you should lose me?”

“Oh, Ishmael, I do hope you are not going to leave us!” exclaimed Reuben, in terror.

“Not until duty obliges me to do so, and that may not be for years.  It is true that I have taken the Rushy Shore schoolhouse, which I intend to open on the third of January; but then I shall continue to reside here with you, and walk backward and forward between this and that.”

“What! every day there and back, and it such a distance!”

“Yes, Uncle Reuben; I can manage to do so, by rising an hour earlier than usual,” said Ishmael cheerfully.

“You rise airly enough now, in all conscience!  You’re up at daybreak.  If you get up airlier nor that, and take that long walk twice every day, it will wear you out and kill you—­that is all.”

“It will do me good, Uncle Reuben!  It will be just the sort of exercise in the open air that I shall require to antidote the effect of my sedentary work in the schoolroom,” said Ishmael cheerfully.

“That’s you, Ishmael! allers looking on the bright side of everything, and taking hold of all tools by the smooth handle!  I hardly think any hardship in this world as could be put upon you, would be took amiss by you, Ishmael.”