"You did? Where?"

"Oh, over to Wellmouth. 'Twas the year afore I come back to East
Harniss, myself, after my long stretch away from it. I never intended to
see the Cape again, but I couldn't stay away somehow. I've told you
that much--how I went over to Wellmouth and boarded a spell, got sick
of that, and, just to be doin' somethin' and not for the money, bought
a catboat and took out sailin' parties from Wixon and Wingate's summer
hotel."

"And you met Mr. Williams? Well, I snum! Was he at the hotel?"

"No, not exactly. I met him sort of casual this second time."

"SECOND time? Had you met him afore that?"

"Don't get ahead of the yarn, Sim. It happened this way: You see, I was
comin' along the road between East Wellmouth and the Center when I run
afoul of him. He was fat and shiny, and drivin' a skittish horse hitched
to a fancy buggy. When he sighted me he hove to and hailed.

"'Here you!' says he, in a voice as fat as the rest of him. 'Your name's
Berry, ain't it.'

"'Yup,' says I.

"'Methusalum Berry or Jehoshaphat Berry or Sheba Berry, or somethin'
like that? Hey?' he says.