they made no more trouble. As Ford Foster remarked, "they were all
willing to go slow for a week," after being carried home at such a rate
by Dab's ponies.

There was a great deal to be said, too, about the runaway, and Mrs.
Foster longed to see Dabney, and thank him on Ford's account; but he
himself had no idea that he had done any thing remarkable, and was very
busy decking Miranda's parlors with the evergreens.

A nice appearance they made, too, all those woven branches and clustered
sprays, when they were in place; and Samantha declared for them that,--

"They had kept Dab out of mischief all the afternoon."

At an early hour, after supper, the guests began to arrive; for Mrs.
Kinzer was a woman of too much good sense to have night turned into day
when she could prevent it. As the stream of visitors steadily poured in,
Dab remarked to Jenny Walters,--

"We shall have to enlarge the house, after all."

"If it were only a dress, now!"

"What then?"

"Why, you could just let out the tucks. I've had to do that with mine."

"Jenny, shake hands with me."

"What for, Dabney?"