Phoebe stretched the truth a trifle, and admitted that that, or something of the sort, was what she was engaged in.

The explanation seemed to be satisfactory.

Debby asked her visitor's name, and, misunderstanding it, addressed her as "Miss Dorcas" thereafter.

Then she proceeded to give her reminiscences of the Thayers, and it did not take long for the disappointed teacher to discover that, for all practical purposes, these reminiscences were valueless.

Mrs.
Beasley remembered many things, but nothing at all concerning John Thayer's life in the West, nor the name of the ship he sailed in, nor who his shipmates were.
"He never wrote home but once or twice afore he died," she said.