A RETURN 243 



have been frightened into good behavior for a 

 week. I thought you were married to a woman 

 fifty years oid and fat as a toad." 



And then we fell on him, and thumped and 

 pump-handled him, and patted Polly, who was 

 as glad to get back as we were to see her; and 

 then we dragged Dick in to supper and demanded 

 explanations instantly on penalty of life and 

 limb, and without benefit of clergy. 



And Dick told how he had seen Polly one day 

 pass through a suburb of Boston, and had fol- 

 lowed on foot and by car, and had finally located 

 her and had bought her after considerable dick- 

 ering, for he soon found out that her unpleasant 

 habit of halter-pulling had f cheapened her con- 

 siderably in the estimation of her owner. As to 

 the buggy and harness he said he had always 

 wanted a new buggy and harness, and he thought 

 I would not mind if he bought them. 



Mind! the young scamp, if he had known 

 how much I really would have been willing to give 

 to get him out of the scrape I fancied he was in, 

 he could have stocked up with an automobile. 



