The fine days he professed to regard with keen suspicion as weather breeders, when it was imprudent to go far from home, especially in the direction of the Crenshaw timber lands, which for years had been the scene of all his gainful industry, and where he seemed to think nature ready to assume her most sinister aspect.
Again in the early spring, when the young oak leaves were the size of squirrel's ears and the whippoorwills began calling as the long shadows struck through the pine woods, the needs of his corn ground battled with his desire to fish.

In all such crises of the soul Mr.Yancy was fairly vanquished before the struggle began; but to the boy his activities were perfectly ordered to yield the largest return in contentment.
The Barony had been offered for sale and bought in by Crenshaw for eleven thousand dollars, this being the amount of his claim.

Some six months later he sold the plantation for fifteen thousand dollars to Nathaniel Ferris, of Currituck County.
"There's money in the old place, Bob, at that figure," Crenshaw told Yancy.
"There are so," agreed Yancy, who was thinking Crenshaw had lost no time in getting it out.
They were seated on the counter in Crenshaw's store at Balaam's Cross Roads, where the heavy odor of black molasses battled with the sprightly smell of salt fish.

The merchant held the Scratch Hiller in no small esteem.

Their intimacy was of long standing, for the Yancys going down and the Crenshaws coming up had for a brief space flourished on the same social level.