Dab Kinzer

“ Probably because there had been so many healthy-looking men around, as a general thing. But it came to pass, on the very day when Ham and Miranda were expected to arrive, by the last of the evening trains, as Dab Kinzer was coming back from the landing, where he had been for a look at the "Swallow," to be sure she was all right for her owner's eyes, that a very disreputable specimen of a worthless man stopped at Mrs. Kinzer's to beg something to eat, and then sauntered away down the road. ”

“ Ford Foster shouted, "Annie! You here? Well, I never!"
But Dab Kinzer wished all those fish safely back again swimming in the bay.
CHAPTER IX. THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BOYS. Ham Morris was a thoughtful and kind-hearted fellow, beyond a doubt; and he was likely to be a valuable friend for a growing boy like Dab Kinzer. It is not everybody's brother-in-law who would find time during his wedding-trip to hunt up even so pretty a New-England village as Grantley, and inquire into questions of board and lodging and schooling. ”

“ There was a cackle of surprise and laughter among the steamer's officers, in which Frank and some of the passengers joined; and the saucy little "fishing-boat" came steadily on in the wake of her gigantic tide.
"This is grand for us," remarked Dab Kinzer to Ford, as he kept his eyes on the after-lantern of the "Prudhomme." "They pay all our pilot-fees." ”

“ Why not? Age hardly counts in such a matter; and then it is not every boy of even his growth that could have brought muscles like those of Dab Kinzer to the swing he gave that four-foot length of seasoned ironwood.
Annie saw him coming; but her assailant did not until it was too late for him to do any thing but turn, and receive that first hit in front instead of behind. It would have knocked over almost anybody; and the tramp measured his length on the ground, while Dabney plied the rod on him with all the energy he was master of.
"Oh, don't, Dabney, don't!" pleaded Annie: "you'll kill him!" ”

“ At least Joe and Fuz Hart remarked as much a score of times before the "Swallow" slipped through the inlet and made her way toward the landing.
"Ham," said Dab Kinzer, "are you going right back again?"
"Course I am, soon as I can get a load of eatables from the house and the village. You 'll have to stay here."
"Why can't I go with you?"
"Plenty for you to do at the house and around while I'm gone. No, you can't go."
Dab seemed to have expected as much, for he turned to Ford with,
"Then I'll tell you what we must do."
"What's that?"
"See about the famine. Can you cook?" ”

“ Ham Morris opened his eyes wide, and Ford puckered his lips into the shape of a still whistle; but Annie caught the meaning of it quicker than they did.
"Dick," she said at once, "are we to fish to-day?"
"May—be,—but—that—depends—on—Mr. Morris."
Every word was slowly and carefully uttered, a good deal in the manner of a man counting over a lot of money, and looking out sharp for counterfeits.
"Look here, Dick," suddenly exclaimed Dab Kinzer, "I give it up: you can do it. But don't you try to keep it up all day. Kill you, sure as any thing, if you do." ”

“ Good for Ham!
It was the right way to feel about it, but Dab Kinzer thought he could see something in it that looked like "charity" when he met his tired-out brother-in-law on his late return from that second trip across the bay.
Real charity never cares to make an exhibition of itself.
They were pretty thoroughly worn out, both of them; but they carefully moored "The Swallow" in her usual berth before they left her.
She had effectually "discharged her cargo," over on the sand-island; but they Had enough of a load to carry home, in the shape of empty baskets and things of that sort. ”

“ Poor Dab Kinzer! Annie Foster had so much else to think of just then; for she was compelled to go over, for Ford's benefit, the whole story of her tribulations at her uncle's, and the many rudenesses of Joe Hart and his brother Fuz.
"They ought to be drowned," said Ford indignantly.
"In ink," added Annie. "Just as they drowned my poor cuffs and collars."
CHAPTER X A CRUISE IN "THE SWALLOW." "Look at Dabney Kinzer," said Jenny Walters to her mother, in church, the next morning. "Did you ever see anybody's hair as smooth as that?" ”

“ Three boys together can find so much more to do than one can, all alone; and they made it four as often as they could, for Dick Lee had proved himself the best kind of company. Frank Harley's East-Indian experience had made him indifferent to the mere question of color, and Ford Foster was too much of a "man" to forget that long night of gale and fog and danger on board "The Swallow."
It was only a day or two after that perilous "cruise," that Dab Kinzer met his old playmate, Jenny Walters, just in the edge of the village. ”

“ After that conversation, however, it was remarkable what good attention Dab Kinzer and Frank Harley paid to their sparring-lessons. It even exceeded the pluck and perseverance with which Dab worked at his French; and Ford was compelled to admit, to him in particular, "You ought to have a grown-up teacher,—somebody you won't kill if you make out to get in a hit on him. You're too long in the reach for me, and your arms are too hard."
What between the boxing-gloves and the boat, there could be no question but what Frank Harley had landed at the right place to get strong in. ”

“ The Hart boys had a feeling, at that moment, that somehow or other Dab knew why they were so anxious to go on board; and they were right enough, for he was saying to himself, "They can wait. They do look hungry, but they'll live through it. There ain't any cuffs or collars in Ham's locker."
All there was then in the locker was soon out of it, after Mrs. Kinzer and the rest came, for they brought with them the officers of the wrecked bark; and neither Joe nor Fuz had an opportunity to so much as "help distribute" that supply of provisions. ”

“ Kinzer and her daughters were already the centre of a talkative crowd of young people; and Ford Foster and Frank Harley, with Joe and Fuz Hart, were asking what had become of Dab, for the train was in sight. ”

“ Joe and Ford and Fuz on the back seat to hold the greens. Frank, get up there, forward, while I hitch the ponies. These fellows are full of mischief."
Very full, certainly, nor did Dab Kinzer know exactly what the matter was, for a minute or so after he seized the reins and sprang up beside Frank Harley. Then, indeed, as the ponies reared and kicked and plunged, it seemed to him he saw something work out from under their collars and fall to the ground. ”

“ Frank Harley freely declared that he had seen nothing like it in India; and Dick Lee's eyes showed all the white they had to show, before he had seen the whole of it.
Their first errand was to the baggage-room; and they were on their way when Dab Kinzer thoughtfully remarked,—
"Now, Joe, here we've dragged you and Fuz away up here, miles and miles out of your way."
"That's so," said Ford, "but they can take a street-car down. They've got hours of time to spare."
"No hurry," said Joe: "we'll see you off." But Fuz whispered to him,—
"Time's up, Joe. Joke's got to come out now." ”

“ CHAPTER XXXII. OLD FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS OF HIS COME TO VISIT DABNEY. "Boys," remarked Dab Kinzer, when they gathered in their own room after supper, "I can't say we've learned a great deal this first week; but we've found a tiptop fishing-ground, and we've settled the Hart boys."
"Shouldn't wonder if Mrs. Myers feels a good deal more settled than she did too," said Ford. "But I'm thinking what Frank Harley's going to do with his fingers, when we can give him a chance. We've loads of fun ahead, or I'm mistaken."
"I won't try it on very often," said Frank. "Fun's fun, that's a fact ”

“ On they went, till the brains of all but Ford and Frank were in a sort of whirl. Even Dab Kinzer was contented to look without talking; and Dick Lee, although he had not a word to say, found unusual difficulty in keeping his mouth shut. It positively would come open, every time Ford pointed out another big building, and told him what it was.
They were not travelling very fast, but they were using a good deal of time in all that sight-seeing; and walking is hungry business, and a few raw oysters could not last six hearty boys very long. ”

“ But after he had finished his breakfast, and gone out, his mother remarked,—
"It's really all right, girls. I almost fear I have been neglecting
Dabney. He isn't a little boy any more."
"He isn't a man yet," exclaimed Samantha. "And he talks slang dreadfully."
"But then, he does grow so!" remarked Keziah.
"Mother," said Pamela, "couldn't you get Dab to give Dick Lee the slang, along with the old clothes?"
"We'll see about it," replied Mrs. Kinzer. ”

“ Foster: "we must have them come. They'll behave themselves here. I'll write to their father: you write to Maria."
"They're her own boys, you know," added Mrs. Foster soothingly.
"Well, mother," said Annie, "if it must be. But I'm sure they'll make us all very uncomfortable if they come."
"I can stand 'em for a week or so," said Ford, with the air of a man who can do or bear more than most people. "I'll get Dab Kinzer to help me entertain them."
"Excellent," said Mr. Foster; "and I hope they will be civil to him."
"To Dabney?" asked Annie.
"Fuz and Joe civil to Dab Kinzer?" exclaimed Ford. ”

“ Serve you up any thing there is, and no living man can tell what he's eating."
Ford was in high spirits, and seemed all one chuckle of self-confidence. It was indeed a remarkably elegant establishment in its line, into which he led them a few minutes later.
There certainly was nothing like it on Long Island, whatever might be true of Paris and other places outside of the "known world."
Dab Kinzer felt like walking very straight as he followed his "leader," and Dick Lee had to use all the strength he had to keep himself from taking his hat right off when he went in. ”

“ Frank could even hear one person say to another out there in the mist, "Ain't it a big thing, Ford, that you know French? I mean to study it when we get home."
"It's as easy as eating. Dab, shall I tell 'em we've got some fish?"
"Of course. We'll sell 'em the whole cargo."
"Sell them? Why not make them a present?"
"We may need the money to get home with. They're a splendid lot. Enough for the whole cabin-full."
"Dat's a fack. Cap'in Dab Kinzer's de sort ob capt'in fo' me, he is!"
"How much, then?"
"Twenty-five dollars for the lot. They're worth it,—specially if we lose Ham's boat." ”

“ Dab Kinzer was a little the proudest boy on Long Island, as he marched along in compliance with her request. He went no further than the gate, to be sure, and then returned for the rest of his rod, but, before he got home, Keziah hurried back from a call on Mrs. Foster, bringing a tremendous account of Dab's heroism, and then his own pride was a mere drop in the bucket compared to that of his mother.
"Dabney is growing wonderfully," she remarked to Samantha. "He'll be a man before any of us know it."
If Dabney had been a man, however, or if Ham Morris or Mr. ”

“ Kinzer. "There 'll be room enough for everybody. What puzzles me is Dab."
"What about Dab?" asked Ham.
"Can't find a thing to fit him," said Dab's mother. "Seems as if he were all odd sizes, from head to foot."
"Fit him!" exclaimed Ham. "Oh, you mean ready-made goods! Of course you can't. He'll have to be measured by a tailor, and have his new suit built for him."
"Such extravagance!" emphatically remarked Mrs. Kinzer.
"Not for rich people like you, and for a wedding," replied Ham; "and Dab's a growing boy. Where is he now? I'm going to the village, and I'll take him right along with me." ”

“ The parlor rang again with peals of laughter, for Dab Kinzer's sisters were ready at any time to look at the funny side of things, and their accidental guest saw no reason for not joining them.
"Your brother Ford is out on the bay, crabbing, with our Dabney," remarked Samantha, as the widow returned. But Annie's eyes had been furtively watching her baggage, through the window, and saw it swinging up on a pair of broad, red-shirted shoulders just then, and, before she could bring her mind to the crab question, Keziah exclaimed: "If there isn't Mrs. Foster coming through the farm gate!" ”

“ Kinzer found her temper getting a little fretted and worried over them.
At all events, it was a settled fact that the "party" was to be; and the invitations went out in due and proper form.
"Miranda," said her mother, on the morning of the important day, "we must manage to get rid of Dabney and those boys for a few hours."
"Send 'em for some greens to rig the parlor with," suggested Ham. "Let 'em take the ponies."
"Do you think the ponies are safe for them to drive, just now?"
"Oh! Dab can handle 'em. They're a trifle skittish, that's all. They need a little exercise." ”

“ And then they both laughed, in a subdued and quiet way; and Miranda picked up the coffee-pot while Mrs. Kinzer walked away into the milk-room. Such cream as there seemed to be on all the pans that morning!
As for Ham Morris, his first visit on leaving the house had been to the relics of the old barn, as a matter of course.
"Not much of a loss," he said to himself; "but it might have been, but for Dab. There's the making of a man in him. Wonder if he'd get enough to eat, if we sent him up yonder? On the whole, I think he would. If he didn't, I don't believe it would be his fault. He's got to go ”

“ Foster himself.
"I sincerely hope not," said the widow calmly. "I should hardly feel like trusting Dabney out in the boat again, if he should do so foolish a thing."
"But where can he stay?"
"At anchor somewhere, or on the island; almost anywhere but tacking all night on the bay. He'd be really safer out at sea than trying to get home."
"Out at sea!"
There was something really dreadful in the very idea of it; and Annie Foster turned pale enough when she thought of the gay little yacht, and her brother out on the broad Atlantic in it, with no better crew than Dab Kinzer and Dick Lee. ”