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“Yes,” she replied, “very good; and I see this is to be a real man’s story.”

“And so it should be, mamma,” said the Daughter of the House. “Men know more about men than they do about women.”

“Don’t be too sure of that,” said her father. “But no matter. The two friends started out on Monday morning after breakfast for Thompsontown. Considerable delay was occasioned at the livery-stable by certain pieces of advice which Sam Twitty offered to Captain Abner. In the first place, he objected to a good black horse which had been attached to the wagon, giving it as his opinion that that looked too much like a funeral, and that a cheerful-colored horse would be much better adapted to a matrimonial expedition. A gray horse, slower than the black one, was substituted, and Sam was quite satisfied. Then a great many things in the way of provisions and conveniences came into his mind which he thought would be well to take on the voyage, and he even insisted upon rigging up an extension at the back of the wagon on which her trunk could be carried on the home journey.

“At last they got away, and as they drove slowly out of the little village not one of the inhabitants thereof knew anything about their intended journey, except that they were going to Thompsontown; for Captain Abner and Sam Twitty would have as soon thought of boring a hole in the bottom of a boat in which they were to sail as of telling their neighbors they were going to look for her and to bring her back in that spring-wagon.

“The old gray horse jogged very comfortably over the smooth road until a toll-gate was perceived near by.

“‘Now, then, cap’n,’ said Sam, as they drew up in front of the little house by the roadside, ‘whatever you pay here you ought to charge to the expense of gettin’ her.’

“‘That’s so,’ said his companion; ‘but if she’s all right I ain’t goin’ to mind no tolls.’

“A pleasant-faced woman now came to the door of the little house and stood expectant, while Captain Abner thrust his hand into his pocket.

“‘How much is it?’ said he.

“‘It’s ten cents,’ said she.

“Then Sam Twitty, who did not wish to sit silent, remarked that it was a fine day, and the toll-gate woman said that indeed it was. Captain Abner was now looking at some small change in the palm of his hand.

“‘I ain’t got ten cents,’ said he. ‘Here’s only six, and I can’t scrape up another copper. Sam, can you lend me four cents?’

“Sam searched his pockets. ‘Haven’t got it,’ said he. ‘Them little things we bought jes afore we started cleaned me out of change.’

“‘The same thing’s happened to me, too,’ said Abner; ‘and, madam, I’ll have to ask you to change a five-dollar note, which is the smallest I’ve got.’

“The toll-gate woman said she was very sorry, but indeed she had not five dollars in change, either at the toll-gate or in the house where she lived just behind in a little garden. The day before she had had a good deal of change, but she had paid it all into the company.

“‘Then what are we goin’ to do?’ asked Sam. ‘I suppose you won’t let us go through without payin’?’

“The woman smiled and shook her head. ‘I couldn’t do that; it’s against the rules. Sometimes when people come along and find they have nothin’ to pay toll with they go back and get the money somewhere. It’s our rules, and if I broke them I might lose my place.’

“‘Which we wouldn’t think of makin’ you do,’ remarked Sam.

“‘But that’s one thing I can’t do,’ said Captain Abner. ‘I can’t turn round and go back. If the folks knew I was turned back because I couldn’t pay toll I’d never hear the end of it.’

“‘That’s so,’ agreed Sam. ‘It would never do to go back.’