"Frank," shouted Ford, "let's go right in and see our crowd." Ford was evidently excited, and it was hardly five minutes later when he wound up his story with: "Father, may I contribute my ten dollars to the Richard Lee Education Fund?" "Of course, but he will need a good deal more than you boys can raise." "Why, father, the advertisement says half a year for a hundred and fifty. He can board for less than we can. Perhaps Mrs. Myers would let him work out a part of it." "I can spare as much as Ford can," said Annie. "Do you leave me out entirely?" asked her mother, with a smile that was even sweeter than usual. As for sharp-eyed lawyer Foster, he had been hemming and coughing in an odd sort of way for a moment, and he had said, "I declare," several times, but he now remarked, somewhat more to the purpose: "I don't believe in giving any man a better education than he will ever know what to do with, but then, this Dick Lee, and you boys,--well, see what you can do, but no one must be allowed to contribute outside of the Foster and Kinzer families and Frank. As for the rest, hem,--ah, I think I'll say there wont be any difficulty." "You, father?" "Why not, Annie? Do you s'pose I'm going to be beaten by a mere country boy like Dab Kinzer?" "Father," said Ford, "if you'd seen how Dick behaved, that night, out there on the ocean, in the 'Swallow!'" "Just as well, just as well, my son!" "Hurrah!" shouted Ford, "then it's all right, and Dick Lee'll have a fair shake in the world." "A what, my son?" exclaimed his mother. "I didn't mean to talk slang, mother, I only meant,--well, you know how dreadfully black he is, but then he can steer a boat tip-top, and he's splendid for crabs and blue-fish, and Dab says he's a good scholar, too." "Dab's a very good boy," said Mrs. Foster, "but your friend Dick will need an outfit, I imagine. Clothes and almost everything. I must see Mrs. Kinzer about it." Meantime Dick Lee's part in the matter had been taken for granted all around. An hour later, however, Mrs. Kinzer's first reply to her son, after a calculation on his part which made it almost seem as if Dick would make money by going to Grantley, was: "What if Mrs. Lee says she can't spare him?" Dab's countenance fell. He knew Mrs. Lee, but he had not thought so far as that. "Well, Dabney, if we can make the other arrangements, I'll see her about it." Ham Morris had been exchanging remarkable winks with Miranda and Samantha, and now gravely suggested: "May be the academy authorities will refuse to take him." "They had a blacker boy than he is there last year, Ford says." "Now, Dab," exclaimed Ham. "Well, I know he's pretty black, but it don't come off." "Mother," said Samantha, "Mrs. Foster and Annie are coming through the gate."