fact, compelled his father to look at him with an
expression of face which very plainly meant,--

"That's my boy. He resembles me. I was just like him, at his age. He'll
be just like me, at mine."

There was excellent reason, beyond question, to approve of the manner in
which the young gentleman had performed his errand in the country; and
Mr. Foster promptly decided to go over in a day or two, and see what
sort of an arrangement could be made with Mrs. Kinzer.

CHAPTER V.

NEW NEIGHBORS, AND GETTING SETTLED.

The week which followed the wedding-day was an important one.

The improvements on the Morris house were pushed along in a way that
astonished everybody. Every day that passed, and with every dollar's
worth of work that was done, the good points of the long-neglected old
mansion came out stronger and stronger.

The plans of Mrs. Kinzer had been a good while in getting ready, and she
knew exactly what was best to be done at every hole and corner.

Within a few days after Ford's trip of investigation, he and his father
came over from the city; and Mr. Foster speedily came to a perfect
understanding with Dabney's mother.

"A very business-like, common-sense sort of a woman," the lawyer
remarked to his son. "But what a great, dangling, overgrown piece of a
boy that is! Still, he seems intelligent, and you may find him good
company."

"No doubt of it," said Ford. "I may be useful to him too. He looks as if
he could learn if he only had a fair chance."

"I should say so," responded Mr. Foster. "We must not expect too much of
fellows brought up away out here, as he has been."

Ford gravely assented, and they went back to report their success to
Mrs. Foster and Annie.

There was a great surprise in store, consequently, for the people of the
village. Early in the following week it was rumored from house to
house,--

"The Kinzers are all a-movin' over to Ham Morris's."

And then, before the public mind had become sufficiently settled to
inquire into the matter, the rumor changed itself into a piece of
positive news:--

"The widder Kinzer's moved over into Ham's house, bag and baggage."

So it was; although the carpenters and painters and glaziers were still
at work, and the piles of Kinzer furniture had to be stored around as
best could be. Some part of them had even to be locked up over night in
one of the barns.

The Kinzers, for generations, had been a trifle weak about furniture;
and th