ight home."

"A very remarkable woman," he muttered, as he turned away, "and she did
not tell me a word about the house, after all. I must make some more
inquiries. The boy is actually well dressed, for a place like this."

"Mother," said Dabney, as they drove along, "you wouldn't let 'em have
Ham's house, would you?"

"No, indeed. But I don't mean to have our own stand empty."

With that reply a great deal of light broke in upon Dab's mind.

"That's it, is it?" he said to himself, as he touched up the ponies.
"Well, there'll be room enough for all of us there, and no mistake. But
what'll Ham say?"

That was a question which he could safely leave to the very responsible
lady beside him; and she found "errands" enough for him, during the
remainder of that forenoon, to keep him from worrying his mind about any
thing else.

As for Ford Foster, it was not until late on the following day that he
completed all his "inquiries" to his satisfaction. He took the afternoon
train for the city, almost convinced that, much as he undoubtedly knew
before he came, he had actually acquired a good deal more knowledge
which might be of some value.

Ford was almost the only passenger in the car he had selected. Trains
going towards the city were apt to be thinly peopled at that time of
day; but the empty cars had to be taken along all the same, for the
benefit of the crowds who would be coming out later in the afternoon and
in the evening. The railway-company would have made more money with full
loads both ways, but it was well they did not have a full load on that
precise train.

Ford had turned over the seat in front of him, and stretched himself out
with his feet on it. It was almost like lying down, for a boy of his
length; and it was the very best position he could possibly have taken
if he had known what was coming.

Known what was coming?

Yes: there was a pig coming.

That was all; but it was quite enough, considering what that pig was
about to do. He was going where he chose, just then; and not only had he
chosen to walk upon the railroad-track, but he had also made up his mind
not to turn out for that locomotive and its train of cars.

He saw it, of course, for he was looking straight at it; and the
engineer saw him, but it would have been well for the pig if he had been
discovered a few seconds earlier.

"What a whistle!" exclaimed Ford Foster at that moment. "It sounds more
like the squeal of an iron pig than a