The Village Convict | Page 4

just a little absent-minded when he put in that beer-barrel. And a wharf, by the Red Sea!"
"I wish you would conclude to rig your boat with a new sail," said the doctor, as he took up the reins, at parting. "There is n't a boat here that 's kept clean, and I should like to hire yours once or twice a week in summer, if you keep her as neat as you do your house. Come in and see me some evening, and we 'll talk it over."
*****
Eph built his boat, and, in spite of his evident dislike of visitors, the inside finish and the arrangements of the little cabin were so ingenious and so novel that everybody had to pay him a visit.
True to his plan of being independent, he built in the side of the hill, near his barn, by a little gravelly pond, an ice-house, and with the hardest labor filled it, all by himself. With this supply, he would not have to go to the general wharf at Sandy Point to sell his fish, with the other men, but could pack and ship them himself. And he could do better, in this way, he thought, even after paying for teaming them to the cars.
The knowing ones laughed to see that, from asking no advice, he had miscalculated and laid in three times as much as he could use.
"Guess Eph cal'lates to fish with two lines in each hand an' another 'n his teeth," said Mr. Wing. "He 's plannin' out for a great lay o' fish."
The spring came slowly on, and the first boat that went out that season was Eph's. That day was one of unmixed delight to him. What a sense of absolute freedom, when he was fairly out beyond the lightship, with the fresh swiftness of the wind in his face! What an exquisite consciousness of power and control, as his boat went beating through the long waves! Two or three men from another village sailed across his wake. His boat lay over, almost showing her keel, now high out of water, now settling between the waves, while Eph stood easily in the stern, in his shirt-sleeves, backing against the tiller, smoking a pipe, and ranging the waters with his eyes.
"Takes it natural ag'in, don't he? Stands as easy as ef he was loafin' on a wharf," said one of the observers. "Expect it 's quite a treat to be out. But they do say he 's gittin' everybody's good opinion. They looked for a reg'-lar ruffi'n when he come home,--cuttin' nets, killin' cats, chasin' hens, gittin' drunk! They say Eliphalet Wood didn't hardly dare to go ou' doors for a month, 'thout havin' his hired man along. But he 's turned out as peaceful as a little gal."
*****
One June day, as Eph was slitting blue-fish at the little pier which he had built on the bay shore, near his rude ice-house, two men came up.
"Hullo, Eph!"
"Hullo!"
"We 've got about sick, tradin' down to the wharf; we can't git no fair show. About one time in three, they tell us they don't want our fish, and won't take 'em unless we heave 'em in for next to nothin',--and we know there ain't no sense in it. So we just thought we 'd slip down and see 'f you would n't take 'em, seein's you 've got ice, and send 'em up with yourn."
Eph was taken all aback with this mark of confidence. The offer must be declined. It evidently sprang from some mere passing vexation.
"I can't buy fish," said he. "I have no scales to weigh 'em."
"Then send ourn in separate berrels," said one of the men.
"But I haven't any money to pay you," he said. "I only get my pay once a month."
"We'll git tick at William's, and you can settle 'th us when you git your pay."
"Well," said he, unable to refuse, "I 'll take 'em, if you say so."
Before the season was over, he had still another customer, and could have had three or four more, if he had had ice enough. He felt strongly inclined that fall to build a larger icehouse; and although he was a little afraid of bringing ridicule upon himself in case no fish should be brought to him the next summer, he decided to do so, on the assurance of three or four men that they meant to come to him. Nobody else had such a chance,--a pond right by the shore.
One evening there was a knock at the door of Eliphalet Wood, the owner of the burned barn. Eliphalet went to the door, but turned pale at seeing Eph there.
"Oh, come in, come in!" he panted. "Glad to see you. Walk in. Have a chair. Take a seat. Sit down."
But he thought his