l length," said Ham. "We must have him at
our house a good deal, after we get home, and feed him up. I've taken a
liking to Dab."

"Feed him up!" said Miranda. "Do you think we starve him?"

"No, I suppose not; but how many meals a day does he get?"

"Three, of course, like the rest of us; and he never misses one of
them."

"Exactly," said Ham: "I shouldn't suppose he would. I never miss a meal,
myself, if I can help it. But don't you think three meals a day is
rather short allowance for a boy like Dab?"

Miranda thought a moment, but then she answered positively,--

"No, I don't. Not if he does as well at each one of them as Dabney is
sure to."

"Well," said Ham, "that was in his old clothes, that were too tight for
him. Now he's got a good loose fit, with plenty of room, you don't know
how much more he may need. No, Miranda, I'm going to have an eye on
Dab."

"You're a dear good fellow, anyway," said Miranda, with one of her very
best smiles, "and I hope mother'll have the house all ready for us when
we get back."

"She will," replied Ham, after a moment spent in somewhat thoughtful
silence. "Do you know, Miranda, I shall hardly be easy about that till I
see what she's done with it? It was in a dreadfully baggy condition."

CHAPTER IV.

TWO BOYS, ONE PIG, AND AN UNFORTUNATE RAILWAY-TRAIN.

"That's him!"

Dab was standing by his ponies, in front of a store in the village. His
mother was making some purchases in the store, and Dab was thinking how
the Morris house would look when it was finished; and it was at him the
old farmer was pointing in answer to a question which had just been
asked him.

The questioner was the sharp-eyed boy who had bothered poor Dick Lee
that morning, and he was now evidently making a sort of "study" of Dab
Kinzer.

At that moment, however, a young lady--quite young--came tripping along
the sidewalk, and was stopped by Dabney, with,--

"There, Jenny Walters! If I didn't forget my label!"

"Why, Dabney! Is that you? How you startled me! Forgot your label?"

"Yes," said Dab; "I'm in another new suit today; and I meant to have a
label on the collar, with my name on it. You'd have known me then."

"But I know you now," exclaimed Jenny. "Why, I saw you yesterday."

"Yes, and I told you it was me. Can you read, Jenny?"

"Why, what a question!"

"Because, if you can't, it won't do me any good to wear a label."

"Dabney Kinzer!" exclaimed Jenny, "there's an othe