One effect of the unexpected arrival of Albert and Katy in Metropolisville, was to make Smith Westcott forget that he ever had any business that was likely to call him to Glenfield.  Delighted to see Katy back.  Would a died if she’d staid away another week.  By George! he! he! he!  Wanted to jump into the lake, you know.  Always felt that way when Katy was out of sight two days.  Curious.  By George!  Didn’t think any woman could ever make such a fool of him.  He! he!  Felt like ole Dan Tucker when he came to supper and found the hot cakes all gone.  He! he! he!  By George!  You know!  Let’s sing de forty-lebenth hymn!  Ahem!

“If Diner was an apple,
  And I was one beside her,
Oh! how happy we would be,
  When we’s skwushed into cider! 
    And a little more cider too, ah-hoo! 
    And a little more cider too! 
    And a little more cider too—­ah—­hoo! 
    And a little more cider too.”

How much?  Pailful!  By George!  He! he! he!  That’s so!  You know.  Them’s my sentiments.  ’Spresses the ’motions of my heart, bredren!  Yah! yah!  By hokey!  And here comes Mr. Albert Charlton.  Brother Albert!  Just as well learn to say it now as after a while.  Eh, Katy?  How do, brother Albert?  Glad to see you as if I’d stuck a nail in my foot.  By George! he! he!  You won’t mind my carryin’ on.  Nobody minds me.  I’m the privileged infant, you know.  I am, by George! he! he!  Come, Kate, let’s take a boat-ride.

“Oh! come, love, come; my boat’s by the shore; If yer don’t ride now, I won’t ax you no more.”

And so forth.  Too hoarse to sing.  But I am not too feeble to paddle my own canoe.  Come, Katy Darling.  You needn’t mind your shawl when you’ve got a Westcott to keep you warm.  He! he!  By George!

And then he went out singing that her lips was red as roses or poppies or something, and “wait for the row-boat and we’ll all take a ride.”

Albert endeavored to forget his vexation by seeking the society of Miss Minorkey, who was sincerely glad to see him back, and who was more demonstrative on this evening than he had ever known her to be.  And Charlton was correspondingly happy.  He lay in his unplastered room that night, and counted the laths in the moonlight, and built golden ladders out of them by which to climb up to the heaven of his desires.  But he was a little troubled to find that in proportion as he came nearer to the possession of Miss Minorkey, his ardor in the matter of his great Educational Institution—­his American Philanthropinum, as he called it—­abated.

I ought here to mention a fact which occurred about this time, because it is a fact that has some bearing on the course of the story, and because it may help us to a more charitable judgment in regard to the character of Mr. Charlton’s step-father.  Soon after Albert’s return from Glenfield, he received an appointment to the postmastership of Metropolisville in such a way as to leave no doubt that it came through