This was Morris' reply, and the two then proceeded on in silence until they reached the boundary line between Morris' farm and Uncle Ephraim's, where they found the deacon mending a bit of broken fence, his coat lying on a pile of stones, and his wide, blue cotton trousers hanging loosely around him. When told who Mark was and that he brought news of Katy, he greeted him cordially, and sitting down upon his fence listened to all Mark had to say. Between the old and young man there seemed at once a mutual liking, the former saying to himself as Mark went on, and he resumed his work: "I most wish it was this chap with Katy on the sea. I like his looks the best," while Mark's thoughts were: "Will need not be ashamed of that man, though I don't suppose I should really want him coming suddenly in among a drawing-room full of guests."
Morris did not feel much like entertaining Mark, but Mark was fully competent to entertain himself, and thought the hour spent at Linwood a very pleasant one, half wishing for some excuse to tarry longer; but there was none, and so at the appointed time he bade Morris good-by and went on his way to New York.