Page:David Alden's Daughter.djvu/26

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6
DAVID ALDEN'S DAUGHTER.


any man you ever saw; but I must get my beasts on, and over The Neck before nightfall. To-morrow is Thursday, as you must know."

"Ay, market day, sure enough. Well, do you know, drover, that the Boston folk will have no more cattle pens, barring those nigh the Town House, at the head of King Street? The yard by the docks is closed, to make way for the growing traffic in that quarter."

"All the more reason for me to hasten, then," replied Cheeseboro, blowing the foam from the pewter tankard of ale with a roasted crab-apple floating upon it, just handed him by one of the drovers." And I'd as lief pen my steers by the Town House as farther a-field, for I shall put up at the State Arms, in King Street, and that'll be handy by."

"Better stop at the Old Anchor, in the same street, neighbor," said Ruggles, cheerily; "they've a better strike of malt on tap just now."

"Give me the Dragon, the Green Dragon, 't is nigh hand to the Mill Pond, Union Street they're taking to call it nowadays; set 'em up! " growled a gray-bearded companion, who sat next to Cheeseboro, sipping a rummer of hot Hollands and water.

"The King's Head, close to Scarlett's Wharf, is the best of all, says I," remarked another.

"Without you make your manners to the females, and say the Queen's Head, a little furder up the street," amended another; and the next man spoke a good word for the Red Lion, kept by