"Oh, I don't mean that! How is it you are here so soon? I thought you meant to make a long visit at your Uncle Hart's."
"Cousins, mother! You never saw such young bears in all your life. They tormented me from morning till night."
"But, Annie, I hope you have not offended--"
"Offended, mother! Aunt Maria thinks they're perfect, and so does Uncle Joe. They'd let them pull the house down over their heads, you'd think."
"But, Annie, what did they do and what did you say?"
"Do! I couldn't tell you in all day; but when they poured ink over my cuffs and collars, I said I would come home. I had just one pair left white to wear home, and I traveled all night."
Poor Mrs. Foster! A cold shudder went over her at the idea of that ink among the spotless contents of her own collar-box.
"What boys they must be! But, Annie, what did they say?"
"Uncle Joe laughed till he cried, and Aunt Maria said boys will be boys, and I half believe they were sorry; but that was only a sort of a winding-up. I wouldn't stay there another hour."
Annie had other things to tell, and, long before she had finished her story, there was no further fault to be found with her for losing her temper. Still, her mother said, mildly:
"I must write to Maria at once, for it wont do to let those boys make trouble between us."
Dab Kinzer and his friend were prompt enough in coming to the rescue of their unfortunate fellow-crabber; but to get him out of the queer wreck he had made of that punt was a tough task.
"I isn't drownin'," exclaimed Dick, heroically, as the other boat came up beside him. "Jest you take yer scoop-net an' save dem crabs."
"But they'll get away," said Dab, snatching the scoop. "Dick's head is level on that point."
The side boards of the old punt were under water half the time, but the crabs were pretty well penned in. Even a couple of them that had mistaken Dick's wool for another sheep's-head were secured without difficulty.
"What luck he'd been having!" said Ford. "He always does," said Dab. "I say, Dick, how'll I scoop you in?"
They were quite likely to wait, for the shining black face had instantly disappeared.
"There he comes," replied Dab. "He'd swim ashore from here, and not half try. Why, I could swim twice as far as that, myself."