depot?"

"All right. It was pretty dark."

"I'll bet you! Laban wasn't very talkative, was he?"

"Why, yes, sir, he talked a good deal but he sang most of the time."

This simple statement appeared to cause a most surprising sensation. The
Snows and their housekeeper looked at each other. Captain Zelotes leaned
back in his chair and whistled.

"Whew!" he observed. "Hum! Sho! Thunderation!"

"Oh, dear!" exclaimed his wife.

Mrs. Ellis, the housekeeper, drew a long breath. "I might have expected
it," she said tartly. "It's past time. He's pretty nigh a month overdue,
as 'tis."

Captain Snow rose to his feet. "I was kind of suspicious when he started
for the barn," he declared. "Seemed to me he was singin' then. WHAT did
he sing, boy?" he asked, turning suddenly upon his grandson.

"Why--why, I don't know. I didn't notice particularly. You see, it was
pretty cold and--"

Mrs. Ellis interrupted. "Did he sing anything about somebody's bein' his
darlin' hanky-panky and wearin' a number two?" she demanded sharply.