him
he was already in the house. It had not so much as occurred to him
that his mother would hear of the accident to the pig and the railway
train until he himself should tell her, and so, he had made sure of
his supper down-stairs, before reporting himself. He might not have
done it, perhaps, but he had come in through the lower way, by the
area door, and that of the dining-room had stood temptingly wide open
with some very eatable things ready on the table.

That had been too much for Ford, after his car-ride and his smash-up
and his long walk. But now, at last, up he came, brimful of new and
wonderful experiences, to be more than a little astonished by the
manner and enthusiasm of his welcome.

"Why, mother!" he exclaimed, when he got a chance for a word, "you and
Annie couldn't have said much more if I'd been the pig himself."

"The pig?" said Annie.

"Yes, the pig that stopped us. He and the engine wont go home to their
families to-night."

"Don't make fun of it, Ford," said his mother, gently; "it's too
serious a matter."

Just then his father broke in, almost impatiently, with, "Well, Ford,
my boy, have you done your errand, or shall I have to see about it
myself? You've been gone two days."

"Thirty-seven hours and a half, father," replied Ford, taking out his
watch. "I've kept an exact account of my expenses. We've saved the
cost of advertising."

"And spent it on railroading," said his father, with a laugh.

"But, Ford," asked Annie, "did you find a house?--a good one?"

"Yes," added Mrs. Foster, "now I'm sure you're safe, I do want to hear
about the house."

"It's all right, mother," said Ford, confidently. "The very house you
told me to hunt for. Neither too large nor too small, and it's in
apple-pie order."

There were plenty of questions to answer now, but Ford was every way
equal to the occasion. His report, in fact, compelled his father to
look at him with an expression of face which very clearly meant, "That
boy resembles me. I was just like him at his age. He'll be just like
me at mine."

There was really very good reason 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 settle
matters with Mrs Kinzer.

(_To be continued_.)

[Illustration: MAKING READY FOR A CRUISE.]

HOW WILLY WOLLY WENT A-FISHING.

BY S.C. STONE.

One day, on going fishing
Was Willy