It was the latter part of John's fifth winter in Homeville.

The business of the office had largely increased.

The new manufactories which had been established did their banking with Mr.Harum, and the older concerns, including nearly all the merchants in the village, had transferred their accounts from Syrchester banks to David's.

The callow Hopkins had fledged and developed into a competent all-'round man, able to do anything in the office, and there was a new "skeezicks" discharging Peleg's former functions.

Considerable impetus had been given to the business of the town by the new road whose rails had been laid the previous summer.