At the same moment Dab was whispering,--

"We mustn't start until it's nearly done tolling."

"What's that?" asked Frank.

"Don't you know? It's always so in the country. First they ring the
bell, as it's ringing now. That's to set people a-going. Then they toll
it. You'll hear in a few minutes. That means, the time's up."

Ford Foster's city training had not taught him as much as that, but he
was glad to know it.

Mrs. Myers once more urged upon them the necessity of making haste.

"It won't do to be late," she said. "I never allow myself to be a minute
behind time."

The last clause sounded a very, very little impatient; but Ford once
more politely expressed his sorrow, and abstained from putting on his
coat. At that moment, too, Dick Lee came tiptoeing in from his cheerless
garret, and looking astonishingly spruce. The "shine" on his shoes was a
brilliancy to be remembered; and so was the shine on his face, and the
sunset glow of his necktie.

"Sh! Dick," said Dab. "Hold still a minute. The bell's beginning to
toll."

"I fear Almira and I will be compelled to start," said Mrs. Myers