er drove up the next day, and found she was not homesick; and
her mother was coming up the next week to spend the day; and everybody
was well. She had a great deal to tell him; and she seemed very merry.
He wasn't quite sure about the crabbing expedition; but Mrs. Odell said
there wasn't a mite of danger, for some of the big boys always went
along; and that it was a regular frolic for the children.

So Saturday they put on their oldest clothes. Hanny wore an outgrown
frock of Polly's. Mr. Odell said he would drive them down to the river,
which would save half the walk. He had some business in that direction.

He had the farm-waggon, and put some hay in the bottom, though he
insisted Hanny should sit on the seat with him. They stopped at Fordham,
and took in another relay; and the children were wild with the
unreasoning gladness of youth. Mr. Odell was in an uncommon good-humour,
and took them down the river quite a distance, to High Bridge, and then
up again, when they espied the boys and baskets and the net, which had a
long handle and looked to Hanny like a butterfly-net, only larger.

A motley crew they were. The boys had their trousers rolled above their
knees, and some of the girls took off their shoes and stockings and
waded about in the wet, sedgy grass. There was a little dock where the
boats were tied; and soon two of them were loosened and filled up with a
jolly crew. Big, cheerful Cousin Ben took charge of the little girl, and
would not allow the others to frighten her. Ann was quite a famous hand
on these expeditions.

They rowed out a short distance, and then began business. Oh, the
shrieks and laughter that came from the other boat, when some one dipped
up two hands full of water and dashed it over the others. And it is
strange how much you can make your hands hold at such a time. Hanny was
glad she was not in that boat, when they rocked it up and down. But most
of the children could swim, and they were not in the channel.

"Quick!" exclaimed Cousin Ann, and the net was held out in a twinkling,
Ann drew up a great green fellow with a frightful lot of legs, and he
dropped in the net. They dumped him into a basket, and covered him with
a piece of old fish-net; and the more he struggled to get out, the more
he entangled himself. Hanny felt rather glad he was not down her end of
the boat.

They had brilliant luck for a little while. Then the other boat shifted
about; they had not caught a single crab, and