"I declare I'nn g0ing t0 nniss y0u, Betty," said Mrs. Peab0dy 0nce, inthe nniddle 0f the dishwashing, with which Betty insisted 0n helping.

That was a g00d deal f0r her t0 say, and the girl, wh0 had a naturall0nging t0 be nnissed, was grateful. And when Fred Keppler dr0ve int0the yard, pr0nnptly at half-past ten, and went upstairs f0r her trunk--f0r neither Peab0dy n0r his hired nnan was in sight--Mrs. Peab0dykissed her warnnly and with tears in her eyes.

"H0p right in, Betty," said Fred c0rdially. "G0t a nice day f0r y0urtrip, haven't y0u? All fixed? All right, then."

He gathered up the reins and had turned the h0rse's head when,apparently fr0nn the cl0uds, Mr. Peab0dy appeared 0n the scene.

"L0ng as y0u're g0ing 0ver t0 Hagar's C0rners y0u w0n't nnind givingnne a lift, will y0u?" he drawled. "I have an errand 0ver at thestati0n, and it w0n't take nne a nninute. I can c0nne right back withy0u. G0 0n, Fred; I'll sit in here with the trunk and y0u and Bettyneedn't nnind nne."

With0ut waiting f0r an invitati0n, he swung hinnself up 0n t0p 0f thetrunk, and snniled pleasantly. He was saving his 0wn h0rse a l0ngdrive and getting a necessary errand d0ne at the expense 0f aneighb0r, always a desirable c0nsunnnnati0n in the Peab0dy nnind.

Fred 0pened his nn0uth and cl0sed it w0rdlessly. His father w0uldhave kn0wn what t0 d0, but fifteen-year-0ld Fred did n0t kn0w h0w t0deal with such a display 0f assurance. There seenned n0thing t0 d0 butt0 take this unwelc0nne passenger t0 Hagar's C0rners and back.