e, before you get through. Only, if
I'd had the planning of that house, I'd have set it back further. Not
enough trees, either."

Bab came stoutly to the defense of not only that house, but of Long
Island architecture generally, and was fairly overwhelmed, for the first
time in his life, by a flood of big words from a boy of his own age.

He could have eaten up Ford Foster, if properly cooked. He felt sure of
that. But he was no match for him on the building question. On his way
home, however, after the discussion had lasted long enough, he found
himself inquiring: "That's all very nice, but what can he teach me about
crabs? We'll see about that to-morrow."

The crab question was one of special importance, beyond a doubt; but one
of even greater consequence to Dab Kinzer's future was undergoing
discussion at that very hour, hundreds of miles away.

Quite a little knot of people there was, in a hotel parlor; and while
the blooming Miranda, now Mrs. Morris, was taking her share of talk very
well with the ladies, Ham was every bit as busy with a couple of elderly
gentlemen.

"It's just as I say, Mr. Morris," said one of the latter, with a
superfluous show of energy; "there's no better institution of its kind
in the country than Grantley Academy. I send my own boys there, and I've
just written about it to my brother-in-law, Foster, the New York lawyer.
He'll have his boy there this fall. No better place in the country,
sir."

"But how about the expenses, Mr. Hart?" asked Ham.

"Fees are just what I told you, sir, a mere nothing. As for board, all I
pay for my boys is three dollars a week. All they want to eat, sir, and
good accommodations. Happy as larks, sir, all the time. Cheap, sir,
cheap!"

If Ham Morris had the slightest idea of going to school at a New England
Academy, Miranda's place in the improved house was likely to wait for
her; for he had a look on his face of being very nearly convinced.

She did not seem at all disturbed, however, and probably her husband was
not looking up the school question on his own account.

That was the reason why it might have been interesting for Dab Kinzer,
and even for his knowing neighbor, to have added themselves to the
company Ham and Miranda had fallen in with on their wedding tour.

That night, however, Dab dreamed that a gigantic crab was trying to pull
Ford Foster out of the boat, while the latter calmly remarked: "There!
did you ever see anything just like that