The Village Convict | Page 4

from her
pillow out to sea. In twelve rude tiles, set around the open fireplace, the
Hebrews were seen in twelve stages of their escape from Egypt. It
would appear from this representation that they had not restricted their
borrowings to the jewels of their oppressors, but had taken for the
journey certain Dutch clothing of the fashion of the seventeenth century.
The scenery, too, was much like that about Leyden.
"I think," said the doctor's wife, "that the painter was 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