ne, they went home
to breakfast, feeling as if they had made a good morning's work, but
wondering what the end of it all would be.

CHAPTER XXIII.

The other boys were very much interested in the story of the tramp, and
so was Mr. Foster when he came home, but poor Annie was a good deal more
troubled than pleased.

"Oh, mother," she exclaimed, "do you suppose I'll have to appear in
court as a witness against him?"

"I hope not, dear. Perhaps your father can manage to prevent it."

It would not have been easy for even so good a lawyer as Mr. Foster, if
Burgin himself had not saved them all trouble on that score. Long before
the slow processes of country criminal justice could bring him to actual
trial, so many misdeeds were brought home to him from here and there,
that he gave the matter up and freely related not only the manner of the
barn-burning, but his revengeful motive for it. He made his case so very
clear that when, in due course of time, he was brought before a judge
and jury, there was nothing left for him to do but to plead "guilty."

That was some months later, however, and just at that time the manner of
his capture--for the story of the demijohn leaked out first of all--gave
the village something new to talk about. It was as good as a temperance
lecture in spite of old Jock's argument that:

"You see, boys, good liquor don't do no harm. That was real good
apple-jack, an' it jist toled that chap across the bay and captured him
without no manner of diffikilty."

There were plenty who could testify to a different kind of "capture."

One effect of the previous day's work, including his adventures as an
ornamental cook, was that Dab Kinzer conceived himself bound to be
thenceforth especially polite to Joe and Fuz. The remaining days of
their visit would have been altogether too few for the various
entertainments he laid out for them.

They were to catch all that was to be caught in the bay. They were to
ride everywhere and see everything.

"They don't deserve it, Dab," said Ford; "but you're a real good fellow.
Mother says so."

"Does she?" and Dab evidently felt a good deal better after that.

Dick Lee, when his friends found time to think of him, had almost
disappeared. Some three days afterward, while all the rest were out in
the "Jenny," having a good time with their hooks and lines, "Gloriana"
made her appearance in Mrs. Kinzer's dining-room with a face that was
darker than usual with