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upon that。 If they are； don't you see that we couldn't wish them not to
be？〃
〃Oh yes； I see your point； it's simply incontrovertible。〃
She laughed and said： 〃Well； at any rate； if we can't find a flat to suit
us we can all crowd into these three rooms somehow； for the winter； and
then browse about for meals。 By the week we could get them much cheaper；
and we could save on the eating； as they do in Europe。 Or on something
else。〃
〃Something else； probably；〃 said March。 〃But we won't take this
apartment till the ideal furnished flat winks out altogether。 We shall
not have any trouble。 We can easily find some one who is going South for
the winter and will be glad to give up their flat 'to the right party' at
a nominal rent。 That's my notion。 That's what the Evanses did one
winter when they came on here in February。 All but the nominality of the
rent。〃
〃Yes； and we could pay a very good rent and still save something on
letting our house。 You can settle yourselves in a hundred different ways
in New York； that is one merit of the place。 But if everything else
fails； we can come back to this。 I want you to take the refusal of it；
Basil。 And we'll commence looking this very evening as soon as we've had
dinner。 I cut a lot of things out of the Herald as we came on。
See here！〃
She took a long strip of paper out of her hand…bag with minute
advertisements pinned transversely upon it； and forming the effect of
some glittering nondescript vertebrate。
〃Looks something like the sea…serpent；〃 said March； drying his hands on
the towel； while he glanced up and down the list。 〃But we sha'n't have
any trouble。 I've no doubt there are half a dozen things there that will
do。 You haven't gone up…town？ Because we must be near the 'Every Other
Week' office。〃
〃No； but I wish Mr。 Fulkerson hadn't called it that！ It always makes one
think of 'jam yesterday and jam tomorrow； but never jam to…day；' in
'Through the Looking…Glass。' They're all in this region。〃
They were still at their table； beside a low window； where some sort of
never…blooming shrub symmetrically balanced itself in a large pot； with a
leaf to the right and a leaf to the left and a spear up the middle； when
Fulkerson came stepping square…footedly over the thick dining…room
carpet。 He wagged in the air a gay hand of salutation at sight of them；
and of repression when they offered to rise to meet him； then； with an
apparent simultaneity of action he gave a hand to each； pulled up a chair
from the next table； put his hat and stick on the floor beside it； and
seated himself。
〃Well； you've burned your ships behind you； sure enough；〃 he said；
beaming his satisfaction upon them from eyes and teeth。
〃The ships are burned；〃 said March； 〃 though I'm not sure we alone did
it。 But here we are； looking for shelter； and a little anxious about the
disposition of the natives。〃
〃Oh； they're an awful peaceable lot；〃 said Fulkerson。 〃I've been round
among the caciques a little； and I think I've got two or three places
that will just suit you； Mrs。 March。 How did you leave the children？〃
〃Oh； how kind of you！ Very well； and very proud to be left in charge of
the smoking wrecks。〃
Fulkerson naturally paid no attention to what she said； being but
secondarily interested in the children at the best。 〃Here are some
things right in this neighborhood； within gunshot of the office； and if
you want you can go and look at them to…night； the agents gave me houses
where the people would be in。〃
〃We will go and look at them instantly；〃 said Mrs。 March。 〃Or； as soon
as you've had coffee with us。〃
〃Never do；〃 Fulkerson replied。 He gathered up his hat and stick。 〃Just
rushed in to say Hello； and got to run right away again。 I tell you；
March； things are humming。 I'm after those fellows with a sharp stick
all the while to keep them from loafing on my house； and at the same time
I'm just bubbling over with ideas about 'The Lone Handwish we could
call it that！that I want to talk up with you。〃
〃Well； come to breakfast；〃 said Mrs。 March； cordially。
〃No； the ideas will keep till you've secured your lodge in this vast
wilderness。 Good…bye。〃
〃You're as nice as you can be； Mr。 Fulkerson；〃 she said； 〃to keep us in
mind when you have so much to occupy you。〃
〃I wouldn't have anything to occupy me if I hadn't kept you in mind； Mrs。
March；〃 said Fulkerson； going off upon as good a speech as he could
apparently hope to make。
〃Why； Basil；〃 said Mrs。 March； when he was gone； 〃he's charming！。
But now we mustn't lose an instant。 Let's see where the places are。〃
She ran over the half…dozen agents' permits。 〃Capital…first…rate…the
very thing…every one。 Well； I consider ourselves settled！ We can go
back to the children to…morrow if we like； though I rather think I should
like to stay over another day and get a little rested for the final
pulling up that's got to come。 But this simplifies everything
enormously； and Mr。 Fulkerson is as thoughtful and as sweet as he can be。
I know you will get on well with him。 He has such a good heart。 And his
attitude toward you； Basil； is beautiful alwaysso respectful； or not
that so much as appreciative。 Yes； appreciativethat's the word； I must
always keep that in mind。〃
〃It's quite important to do so；〃 said March。
〃Yes；〃 she assented； seriously； 〃and we must not forget just what kind of
flat we are going to look for。 The 'sine qua nons' are an elevator and
steam heat； not above the third floor； to begin with。 Then we must each
have a room； and you must have your study and I must have my parlor； and
the two girls must each have a room。 With the kitchen and dining room；
how many does that make？〃
〃Ten。〃
〃I thought eight。 Well； no matter。 You can work in the parlor； and run
into your bedroom when anybody comes； and I can sit in mine； and the
girls must put up with one； if it's large and sunny； though I've always
given them two at home。 And the kitchen must be sunny； so they can sit
in it。 And the rooms must all have outside light。 Aud the rent must not
be over eight hundred for the winter。 We only get a thousand for our
whole house； and we must save something out of that； so as to cover the
expenses of moving。 Now； do you think you can remember all that？〃
〃Not the half of it；〃 said March。 〃But you can； or if you forget a third
of it； I can come in with my partial half and more than make it up。〃
She had brought her bonnet and sacque down…stairs with her； and was
transferring them from the hatrack to her person while she talked。 The
friendly door…boy let them into the street； and the clear October evening
air brightened her so that as she tucked her hand under her husband's arm
and began to pull him along she said； 〃If we find something right away
and we're just as likely to get the right flat soon as late； it's all a
lotterywell go to the theatre somewhere。〃
She had a moment's panic about having left the agents' permits on the
table； and after remembering that she had put them into her little
shopping…bag； where she kept her money （each note crushed into a round
wad）； and had heft it on the hat…rack； where it