PEEP AT OUR NEIGHBORS. 133

mowing—for I knew and_ everybody
knew that there was not a truer or purer
man in Willow Lane than Captain Parry.
He was among the few in those parts
against whom the tongue of slander sel-
dom dared to wag.

There was a pause for a little while.
Amanda knew not what to say next—
and J am sure I did not. She ventured,
at last, timidly and sadly, to hint that she
was afraid I did not speak the truth;
that Captain Parry must have been very
sure he saw me, or he would not have
said so; and that she hoped I would not
tell a lie, because that was as bad as
taking the watermelons, if not worse.