something。 He liked the work just as little as he had in the
beginning of his apprenticeship。 And； although he was forgetting
his thoughts of running away； of attempting fortune on his own
hook； he was just as rebellious as ever against a future to be
spent in that office and at that work。
Outside the office and the hateful bookkeeping he was beginning to
find several real interests。 At the old house which had for
generations been called 〃the Snow place；〃 he was beginning to feel
almost at home。 He and his grandmother were becoming close
friends。 She was not looking for trouble； she never sat for long
intervals gazing at him as if she were guessing； guessing； guessing
concerning him。 Captain Zelotes did that； but Olive did not。 She
had taken the boy； her 〃Janie's boy；〃 to her heart from the moment
she saw him and she mothered him and loved him in a way whichso
long as it was not done in publiccomforted his lonely soul。 They
had not yet reached the stage where he confided in her to any great
extent； but that was certain to come later。 It was his grandmother's
love and the affection he was already beginning to feel for her
which； during these first lonesome； miserable weeks； kept him from；
perhaps； turning the running away fantasy into a reality。
Another inmate of the Snow household with whom Albert was becoming
better acquainted with was Mrs。 Rachel Ellis。 Their real
acquaintanceship began one Sunday forenoon when Captain Zelotes and
Olive had gone to church。 Ordinarily he would have accompanied
them； to sit in the straight…backed old pew on a cushion which felt
lumpy and smelt ancient and musty； and pretend to listen while old
Mr。 Kendall preached a sermon which was ancient and musty likewise。
But this Sunday morning he awoke with a headache and his grandmother
had pleaded for him； declaring that he ought to 〃lay to bed〃 a while
and get over it。 He got over it with surprising quickness after the
church bell ceased ringing； and came downstairs to read Ivanhoe in
the sitting room。 He had read it several times before； but he
wanted to read something and the choice of volumes in the Snow
bookcase was limited。 He was stretched out on the sofa with the
book in his hand when the housekeeper entered； armed with a
dust…cloth。 She went to church only 〃every other〃 Sunday。 This
was one of the others without an every； and she was at home。
〃What are you readin'； Albert？〃 she asked； after a few' minutes
vigorous wielding of the dust…cloth。 〃It must be awful interestin'；
you stick at it so close。〃
The Black Knight was just then hammering with his battle…axe at the
gate of Front de Buef's castle； not minding the stones and beams
cast down upon him from above 〃no more than if they were thistle…
down or feathers。〃 Albert absently admitted that the story was
interesting。 The housekeeper repeated her request to be told its
name。
〃Ivanhoe；〃 replied the boy； adding； as the name did not seem to
convey any definite idea to his interrogator's mind： 〃It's by
Walter Scott； you know。〃
Mrs。 Ellis made no remark immediately。 When she did it was to the
effect that she used to know a colored man named Scott who worked
at the hotel once。 〃He swept out and carried trunks and such
things；〃 she explained。 〃He seemed to be a real nice sort of
colored man； far as ever I heard。〃
Albert was more interested in the Black Knight of Ivanhoe than the
black man of the hotel； so he went on reading。 Rachel sat down in
a chair by the window and looked out； twisting and untwisting the
dust…cloth in her lap。
〃I presume likely lots and lots of folks have read that book； ain't
they？〃 she asked； after another interval。
〃What？ Oh； yes； almost everybody。 It's a classic； I suppose。〃
〃What's that？〃
〃What's what？〃
〃What you said the book was。 A class…somethin' or other？〃
〃Oh； a classic。 Why； it'sit's something everybody knows about；
oror ought to know about。 One of the big things； you know。
Likelike Shakespeare oror Robinson Crusoe or Paradise Lost or
lots of them。 It's a book everybody reads and always will。〃
〃I see。 Humph！ Well； I never read it。 。 。 。 I presume likely you
think that's pretty funny； don't you？〃
Albert tore himself away from the fight at the gate。
〃Why； I don't know；〃 he replied。
〃Yes； you do。 You think it's awful funny。 Well； you wouldn't if
you knew more about how busy I've been all my life。 I ain't had
time to read the way I'd ought to。 I read a book once though that
I'll never forget。 Did you ever read a book called Foul Play？〃
〃No。 。 。 。 Why； hold on； though； I think I have。 By Charles
Reade； wasn't it？〃
〃Yes； that's who wrote it； a man named Charles Reade。 Laban told
me that part of it； he reads a lot； Laban does。 I never noticed
who wrote it； myself。 I was too interested in it to notice little
extry things like that。 But ain't that a WONDERFUL book？ Ain't
that the best book you ever read in all your LIFE？〃
She dropped the dust…cloth and was too excited and enthusiastic to
pick it up。 Albert did his best to recall something definite
concerning Foul Play。 The book had been in the school library and
he； who read almost everything； had read it along with the others。
〃Let me see；〃 he said musingly。 〃About a shipwrecksomething
about a shipwreck in it； wasn't there？〃
〃I should say there was！ My stars above！ Not the common kind of
shipwreck； neither； the kind they have down to Setuckit P'int on
the shoals。 No sir…ee！ This one was sunk on purpose。 That Joe
Wylie bored holes right down through her with a gimlet； the wicked
thing！ And that set 'em afloat right out on the sea in a boat； and
there wan't anything to eat till Robert Penfoldoh； HE was the
smart one； he'd find anything； that man！he found the barnacles on
the bottom of the boat； just the same as he found out how to
diffuse intelligence tied onto a duck's leg over land knows how
many legsleagues； I meanof ocean。 But that come later。 Don't
you remember THAT？〃
Albert laughed。 The story was beginning to come back to him。
〃Oh； sure！〃 he exclaimed。 〃I remember now。 Hethe Penfold
fellowand the girl landed on this island and had all sorts of
adventures； and fell in love and all that sort of stuff； and then
her dad came and took her back to England and sheshe did
something or other there toto get the Penfold guy out of
trouble。〃
〃Did somethin'！ I should say she did！ Why； she found out all
about who forged the letterthe note； I meanthat's what she
done。 'Twas Arthur Wardlaw； that's who 'twas。 And he was tryin'
to get Helen all the time for himself； the skinner！ Don't talk to
me about that Arthur Wardlaw！ I never could bear HIM。〃
She spoke as if she had known the detested Wardlaw intimately from
childhood。 Young Speranza was hugely amused。 Ivanhoe was quite
forgotten。
〃Foul Play was great stuff；〃 he observed。 〃When did you read it？〃
〃Eh？ When？ Oh； ever and ever so long ago。 When I was about
twenty； I guess； and laid up with the measles。 That's the only
time I ever was real what you might call down sick in my life； and
I commenced with measles。 That's the way a good many folks
commence； I know； but they don't generally wait till they're out of
their 'teens afore they start。 I was workin' for Mrs。 Philander
Bassett at the time； and she says to me： 'Rachel；' she says；
'you're on the mendin' hand now； wouldn't you like a book to read？'
I says； 'Why； maybe I would。' And she fetched up three of 'em。 I
can see 'em now； all three； plain as day。 One was Barriers Burned
Away。 She said that was somethin' about a big fire。 Well； I'm
awful nervous about fires； have been from a child； so I didn't read
that。 And another had the queerest kind of a name； if you'd call
it a name at all； 'twas She。〃
Albert nodded。
〃Yes；〃 he said。 〃I've read that。〃
〃Have you？ Well； I begun to； but my stars； THAT wasn't any book to
give to a person with nerve symptoms。 I got as far as where those
Indians or whatever they was started to put red…hot kettles on
folks's heads； and that was enough for ME。 'Give me somethin'
civilized；' says I； 'or not at all。' So I commenced Foul Play； and
I tell you I kept right on to the end。
〃I don't suppose；〃 she went on； 〃that there ever was a much better
book than that wrote； was there？〃
Albert temporized。 〃It is a good one；〃 he admitted。
〃Don't seem to me there could be much better。 Laban says it's
good； though he won't go so far as to say it's the very best。 He's
read lots and lots of books； Laban has。 Reads an awful lot in his
spare time。 He's what you'd call an educated person； which is what
I ain't。 And I guess you'll say that last is plain enough without
bein' told；〃 she added。
Her companion； not exactly knowing how to answer； was silent for a
moment。 Rachel； who had picked up and was again twisting the dust…
cloth； returned to the subject she so delighted in。
〃But that Foul Play book；〃 she continued； 〃I've read till I've
pretty nigh wore the covers off。 When Mrs。 Bassett saw how much I
liked it she gave it to me for a present。 I read a little bit in
it every little while。 I kind of fit the folks in that book to
f