trap carefully;
then, priding himself upon the skill and dexterity of his fingers, he
tried to pick it to pieces. In a moment of carelessness, however, he
became entangled, and soon met the fate of the unfortunate pig.

The last that came was the fox. He looked at the snare anxiously, from a
distance, and, approaching cautiously, soon made himself thoroughly
acquainted with its size and power. Then he cried, "Thus do I defeat the
machinations of my enemies!"--and, avoiding the trap altogether, by
leaping completely over it, he went on his way rejoicing.

DAB KINZER: A STORY OF A GROWING BOY.

BY WILLIAM O. STODDARD.

CHAPTER XIV.

The next day's newspapers, from the city, brought full accounts of the
stranding of the "Prudhomme," as well as of the safety of her passengers
and cargo; but they had nothing whatever to say about the performances
of the "Swallow." The yacht had been every bit as well handled as the
great steamship, but then she had got home safely, and she was such a
little thing, after all. Whatever excitement there had been in the
village died out as soon as it was known that the boys were safe; and
then, too, Mrs. Lee found time to "wonder wot Dab Kinzer means to do wid
all de money he done got for dem blue-fish."

Dab himself had been talking with Ford Foster and Frank Harley, and an
original idea of his own was beginning to take some sort of form in his
mind. He did not, as yet, mention it to any one, as he wanted very much
to consult with Ham Morris about it. As for Frank, Mr. Foster had
readily volunteered to visit the steamship office, in the city, when he
went over to business, next day, and do whatever might be needed with
reference to the young gentleman's baggage. At the same time, Mrs.
Foster wrote to her sister, Mrs. Hart, giving a full account of what had
happened, and saying she meant to keep Frank as Ford's guest for a
while.

The Hart boys hardly knew whether to submit or not, when that letter
came, as they had planned for themselves all sorts of rare fun with "the
young missionary" in their own home.

"Never mind, Fuz," said Joe, "we'll serve him out when we get to
Grantley."

"Yes," replied Fuz; "I'd just as lief not see too much of him before
that. He wont have any special claim on us if he doesn't go there from
our house."

Other talk they had together, and the tone of it promised very lively
times at Grantley Academy for the stranger from India. But while the