before you take
yours into the house. I'd like to have her see them all."

"All right," replied Dab, but he little dreamed what was coming; for,
when he and Ford marched proudly into the sitting-room with their finny
prizes, Dabney found himself face to face with, not good, sweet-voiced
Mrs. Foster, but, as he thought, the most beautiful young lady he had
ever seen.

Ford Foster shouted, "Annie! You here? Well, I never!"

But Dab Kinzer wished all those fish safely back again swimming in the
bay.

CHAPTER IX.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BOYS.

Ham Morris was a thoughtful and kind-hearted fellow, beyond a doubt; and
he was likely to be a valuable friend for a growing boy like Dab Kinzer.
It is not everybody's brother-in-law who would find time during his
wedding-trip to hunt up even so pretty a New-England village as
Grantley, and inquire into questions of board and lodging and schooling.

That was precisely what Ham did, however; and Miranda went with him of
course.

Mrs. Myers, to the hospitalities of whose cool and roomy-looking house
he had been commended by Mr. Hart, was so "crowded full with summer
boarders," liberally advertised for in the great city, that she had
hardly a corner left in which to stow away Ham and his bride, for even
one night. She was glad enough, however, that she had made the effort,
and found one, after she discovered the nature of the stranger's errand
in Grantley, and that it included "winter board" for a whole boy.

There was a look of undisguised astonishment on the faces of the regular
guests when they gathered for the next meal. It happened to be supper,
but they all looked at the table and then at one another. It was a pity
Ham and Miranda did not understand the meaning of those glances, or else
that they did not make a longer stay with Mrs. Myers. They might have
learned more about her and her boarding-house, if not about the academy.
As it was, they only gathered a very high opinion of her cookery and
hospitality, as well as an increase of respect for the "institution of
learning," and for that excellent gentleman Mr. Hart; with a dim hope
that Dabney Kinzer might be permitted to enjoy the inestimable
advantages offered by Grantley and Mrs. Myers, and the society of Mr.
Hart's two wonderful boys.

Miranda was inclined to stand up for her brother somewhat, but finally
agreed with Ham, that,--

"What Dabney needs is schooling and polish, my dear. It'll be good