for
him to board in the same house with two such complete young gentlemen as
the Hart boys."

"Of course, Ham. And then, too, we'll feel sure of his having plenty to
eat. There was almost too much on the table."

"Not if the boarders had all been boys of Dab's age, and with his
appetite. Mrs. Myers is evidently accustomed to provide for them, I
should say."

So she was; and Ham and Miranda left Grantley next morning, after a very
early breakfast; and, when the regular boarders came to theirs, they
might have guessed at once that the "transient guests" had gone. They
even guessed it out loud at dinner and at supper.

Mrs. Myers had given Ham and his bride a world of interesting
information about Grantley, and the things and people in it; but there
was one thing she had forgotten or neglected to mention. She had failed
to tell them that the house she lived in, and the outlying farm
belonging to it, and nearly all the house-hold effects it contained,
were the property of Mr. Joseph Hart, having cost that gentleman very
little more than a sharp lawsuit. Neither did she say a word about how
long a time he had given her to pay him his price for it. All that was
her own private affair, and none of Ham's business, or Miranda's. Still,
it might have had its importance in their minds, if they had been
informed of it.

Perhaps, too, some of their rosy impressions might have been a little
modified if they could have been at the breakfast-table of the Hart
homestead the morning after Annie Foster's sudden departure.

The table, truly, was there, as usual, with the breakfast-things on it,
and there were husband and wife at either end; but the two side seats
were vacant.

"Where are Joe and Foster, Maria?" asked Mr. Hart.

"I'm sure they're up, father. I heard them come down stairs an hour
ago."

"I can't wait for them"--

"You came home late last night, and they haven't seen you since Annie
went away." There had been a suppressed sound of whispers in the entry,
and the door had been held open about half an inch by some hand on the
other side. It is possible, therefore, that Mr. Hart's reply was heard
outside.

"Oh, I see! it's about Annie. Look here, Maria: they may have gone a
little too far, but if Annie can't take a joke"--

"So I tried to say to her," began his wife; but at that instant the
whispers in the entry swelled suddenly to loud voices, and two boys came
noisily in, and filled the side chairs at the table