Hannah left the house to comply with his request, and Reuben sat and wiped his face and pondered over his perplexities.  Reuben had lately given to rely very much upon Ishmael’s judgment, and to appeal to him in all his difficulties.  So he looked up in confidence as the youth entered with Hannah.

“What is it, Uncle Reuben?” inquired the boy cheerfully.

“The biggest botheration as ever was, Ishmael, my lad!” answered Gray.

“Well, take a mug of cool cider to refresh yourself, and then tell me all about it,” said Ishmael.

Hannah ran and brought the invigorating drink, and after quaffing it Gray drew a long breath and said: 

“Why, I’ve got the botherationest letter from the judge as ever was.  He says how he has sent down a lot of books, as will be landed at our landing by the schooner ‘Canvas Back,’ Capt’n Miller; and wants me to take the cart and go and receive them, and carry them up to the house, and ask the housekeeper for the keys of the liber-airy and put them in there,” said Reuben, pausing for breath.

“Why, that is not much bother, Uncle Reuben.  Let me go and get the books for you,” smiled Ishmael.

“Law, it aint that; for I don’t s’pose it’s much more trouble to cart books than it is to cart bricks.  You didn’t hear me out:  After I have got the botheration things into the liber-airy, he wants me to unpack them, and also take down the books as is there already, and put the whole lot on ’em in the middle of the floor, and then pick ’em out and ’range ’em all in separate lots, like one would sort vegetables for market, and put each sort all together on a different shelf, and then write all their names in a book, all regular and in exact order!  There, now, that’s the work as the judge has cut out for me, as well as I can make out his meaning from his hard words and crabbed hand; and I no more fit to do it nor I am to write a sarmon or to build a ship; and if that aint enough, to bother a man’s brains I don’t know what is, that’s all.”

“But it is no part of your duty as overseer to act as his librarian,” said Ishmael.

“I know it aint; but, you see, the judge he pays me liberal, and he gives me a fust-rate house and garden, and the liberty of his own orchards and vineyards, and a great many other privileges besides, and he expects me to ’commodate him in turn by doing of little things as isn’t exactly in the line of my duty,” answered Gray.

“But,” demurred Ishmael, “he ought to have known that you were not precisely fitted for this new task he has set you.”

“Well, my lad, he didn’t; ’cause, you see, the gals as I edicated, you know, they did everything for me as required larning, like writing letters and keeping ’counts; and as for little Kitty, she used to do them beautiful, for Kitty was real clever; and I do s’pose the judge took it for granted as the work was all my own, and so he thinks I can do this job too.  Now, if the parish school wa’n’t broke up for the holidays, I might get the schoolmaster to do it for me and pay him for it; but, you see, he is gone North to visit his mother and he won’t be back until September, so the mischief knows what I shall do.  I thought I’d just ask your advice, Ishmael, because you have got such a wonderful head of your own.”