Quincy said nothing, but went into his room and shut the door, and there we will leave him.

As Strout and Abner drove back to Mason’s Corner, after the adjournment of the town meeting, nothing was said for the first mile of the trip.

Then Abner turned to him and remarked, “You ought ter be well satisfied with to-day’s perceedin’s.”

“How do you make that out?” growled Strout.

“Waal, I think the events proved,” said Abner, “that you wuz the most pop’lar man in ther town.”

“How do you make that out?” again growled Strout.

“Why,” said Abner, “you wuz nominated for every office in the gift o’ ther town, and that’s more’n any other feller could say.”

“If you don’t shut up,” said Strout, “I’ll nominate you for town idyut, and there won’t be any use of any one runnin’ agin yer!”

Abner took his reproof meekly.  He always did when Strout spoke to him.  No more was said until they reached home.  Strout entered the boarding house and went upstairs to his room, forgetting that there was a man from Boston, to arrive late that evening, who was to have the next room to his.

Abner put up the horse and went home.  As he went by Strout’s door, thoughts of the rum and molasses, and the good cigar that he had enjoyed the night of the surprise party one week ago went through his mind, and he stopped before Strout’s door and listened attentively, but there was no sound, and he went upstairs disconsolately, and went to bed feeling that his confidence in the Professor had been somewhat diminished by the events of the day.

CHAPTER XXIX.

Mrs. Hawkins’ boarding house.

Mrs. Hawkins waited patiently until eight o’clock for the gentleman from Boston to come down to breakfast.  She then waited impatiently from eight o’clock till nine.  During that time she put the breakfast on the stove to keep it warm, and also made several trips to the front entry, where she listened to see if she could hear any signs of movement on the part of her new boarder.

When nine o’clock arrived she could restrain her impatience no longer, and, going upstairs, she gave a sharp knock on the door of Quincy’s room.

“What is it?” answered a voice, somewhat sharply.

“It’s nine o’clock, and your breakfast’s most dried up,” replied Mrs. Hawkins.

“I don’t wish for any breakfast,” said the voice within the room, but in a much pleasanter tone.  “What time do you have dinner?”

“Twelve o’clock,” said Mrs. Hawkins.

“All right,” answered the voice, cheerfully.  “I’ll take my breakfast and dinner together.”

“That beats all,” said Mrs. Hawkins, as she entered the kitchen.

“What beats all?” asked Betsy Green, who worked for Mrs. Hawkins.

“It beats all,” repeated Mrs. Hawkins, “how these city folks can sit up till twelve o’clock at night, and then go without their breakfast till noontime.  I’ve fixed up somethin’ pretty nice for him, and I don’t propose to see it wasted.”