The terrier made no objection to being removed, but the puppies cried dismally at the parting. Myron chuckled. "Funny things!" he exclaimed. "Why, they haven't got their eyes open yet!"
"No, they're only six days old. How's this one for a butter-ball? Isn't he a fat rascal? All right, Tess, we won't hurt them. I vouch for the gentleman. He never stole a puppy in all his innocent young life."
"I never did," Myron corroborated, "but I'd like to start right now!"
"Yes, indeed. Funny thing is, though, that I've never owned one."
"I don't know. My mother thinks they're rather a nuisance around the house. Still, I dare say she'd have let me kept one if I'd insisted. I don't suppose you--you'd care to sell one of those?"
"Oh, yes, I would. I'll have to either sell them or give them: unless I send them off to the happy hunting ground."
"The lot?" asked Merriman, a twinkle in his eye.
"Five dollars. Tess is good stock, and the father is a thoroughbred belonging to Terrill, the stableman on Centre Street. Got a place to keep him?"
"I'd forgot about that," owned Myron. "I'm afraid not. They wouldn't let me have him in Sohmer, would they?"
"Scarcely!" laughed the other. "All right, old lady, back you go. Sit down--ah--What's the name, please?"
"Foster. Mr. Morgan gave me your address. I want some tutoring in Latin, and he said he thought you could take me on."
"Possibly. Just dump those books on the seat there. What hours do you have free, Foster?"
"This hour in the morning and any time in the evening."
"I'm trying for the football team and that doesn't leave me much time afternoons. Still, I guess we're usually through by five."
Merriman shook his head. "I'd rather not waste my time and yours, Foster. Football practice doesn't leave a fellow in very good trim for tutoring. Better say the evening, I guess. How would seven to nine do?"
"Yes, you can't accomplish much in less. I can't, anyhow."
"Very well. Seven to nine. Shall I come here or----"
"I'll come to you. What's the number in Sohmer? Seventeen? All right. We'll begin tomorrow. My terms are a dollar an hour. You pay for the time it takes me to get to you, usually about ten minutes. Can you arrange with your room-mate to let us have the place to ourselves at that time?"