"We'd better get to bed, boys. I want to see if this is a good house to
sleep in."

"Sleep?" said Ford. "I could go to sleep in an omnibus."

Early to bed meant early to rise, necessarily; and they were all up and
dressed the next morning, when Dick Lee slipped in on them. Before they
had time to ask him a question, he exclaimed,--

"I say, Cap'n Dab, is you goin' to church dis mornin'?"

"Of course. We're all going."

"So I heerd Mrs. Myers tell Miss Almiry. She's goin' to take you along
wid her when she goes."

"Richard," said Ford, "are you going?"

"Habn't heerd a word about dat."

"Don't you go back on your friends, Richard. Be all ready in time,
sure's you live, and go with us, or I'll complain to Dr. Brandegee."

Dick's grin was a wide one; but he responded,--

"I'll be ready. See 'f I ain't."

The voice of Almira, calling his name at the foot of the stairs,
prevented any further conversation just then; and Dick found,