Phineas Babbitt, however, continued to express dislike, or, at the most, indifference.
"I'm too old a bird," declared the vindictive little hardware dealer, "to bow down afore a slick tongue and a good-lookin' figgerhead.

He's one of Sam Hunniwell's pets and that's enough for me.

Anybody that ties up to Sam Hunniwell must have a rotten plank in 'em somewheres; give it time and 'twill come out." Charles and Jed Winslow were by this time good friends.

The young man usually spent at least a few minutes of each day chatting with his eccentric neighbor.

They were becoming more intimate, at times almost confidential, although Phillips, like every other friend or acquaintance of "Shavings" Winslow, was inclined to patronize or condescend a bit in his relations with the latter.