ith
Carker."

Over the bridge rumbled the carriages. As they rolled past Applesnack's
store the grocer and several of his friends stood on the steps and waved
a salute at them. All these villagers were smiling as if the reunion
gave them almost as much enjoyment as it gave Frank and his old flock.

After leaving the village they soon came in sight of the buildings of
Farnham Hall. These structures, located on a splendid site, brought
exclamations of astonishment and pleasure from all who had not seen them
before.

Then they saw Merry Home setting back amid the tall trees which
surrounded it. The old Colonial house seemed to open its arms to them in
welcome.

And on the veranda were Inza, Elsie, Jack Diamond, Bruce Browning, Bart
Hodge, and Berlin Carson.

It's impossible to describe adequately the meeting as the newcomers left
the carriages and were greeted by those waiting for them. The chatter
and laughter of the girls made merry music, but for the most part the
young men shook hands in silence, looking deep into one another's eyes
and letting the grasp of their fingers express the emotions their lips
could not speak.

The two colored men, Toots and Jumbo, together with the young Irish man
of all work, who had also acted as a driver, took the turnouts round to
the stables, where the three of them joined hands and did a crazy dance.

"Bah golly, Jumbo, you big stiff," cried Toots, as he struck the huge
darky a resounding blow on the back, "Ah'ze the happiest nigger in dis
hull unumverse! Wasn't dat de finest-looking bunch ob people yo' eber
set yo' homely eyes on, Jumbo? Bah golly! dat's de kind ob folks Marsa
Frank trains round wid. Ain't dem gals jes' de slappinest good-lookers
yo' eber see?"

"Now don' yo' git familiar talkin' 'bout Marsa Frank's lady friends!"
warned Jumbo. "Ah'ze a friend to you, Toots, but dis familumarity don'
sot well on mah stomach."

"Aw, go on dar, you big brack jollier!" yapped Toots. "Ah'ze known Marsa
Frank eber since he was knee high to a grasseshopper. Ah guess Ah knows
mah place. He's tol' me more'n once, 'Toots, yo'se a gemman distinctive
ob yo' color.' Dar ain't no udder nigger dat could gib Marsa Frank a
piece of device de way Ah can. He'd took it off'n me when he'd up and
slam any udder brack sassbox right ober de crannyum whack-o! Don' yo'
git no notion, Jumbo, jes' beca'se Ah injuiced Marsa Frank to gib yo' a
job, dat yo' ken hab de same familiar acquaintance wid him