t the Wilsons'; so there was
at the Pentzes'. Mrs. Pentz was ladling out some boiled apple-pudding to
a hungry circle round her. But she missed two.

"Where are Jonas and Dick?" she asked.

A clamor of answers came up.

"I saw Jonas and Dick go off with Sam Wilson after school, and Jack
Wilson, and John Stebbins," said Will, one of the small boys.

"You don't think Jonas and Dick both went to dine at the Wilsons'?" said
Mrs. Pentz. "I should not like that."

"I dare say they did," said Mary Pentz. "You know the Wilson boys are
here half the time, and the other half our boys are at the Wilsons'."

"Still, I don't like their going there for meal-times," said Mrs. Pentz,
anxiously.

"Jonas had a new lesson in 'Caesar,'" said Mary Pentz. "I don't believe
they planned to spend much time at dinner."

But at supper-time no boys appeared at the Wilsons'. Mrs. Wilson was
anxious. George, the youngest boy of all, said the boys had been home
since afternoon school; he had seen Jack in the kitchen with John
Stebbins.

"Jack came to me for gingerbread," said Jane, "and I asked him where
they had been, and John Stebbins said, with the Pentz boys. He said
something about to-morrow being a holiday, and preparing for a lark."

"I don't like their getting all their meals at the Pentzes'," said Mrs.
Wilson, "and I don't much like John Stebbins."

Again at the Pentzes' the talk was much the same.

Mary Pentz reported the boys went through their 'Caesar' recitation
well; she had a nod of triumph from Jonas as he walked off with Sam
Wilson. "They had their books, so I suppose they are off for study
again."

"I don't like their taking two meals a day at the Wilsons'," said Mrs.
Pentz.

"There's no school to-morrow," said Mary, "because the new furnace is to
be put in. But I dare say the boys, Sam and Jonas, will be studying all
the same."

"I hope he won't be out late," said Mrs. Pentz.

"He's more likely to spend the night at the Wilsons'," said Mary. "You
know he did a week ago."

"The boys were round here for a candle," said Will.

"Then they do mean to study late," said Mrs. Pentz. "I shall tell him
never to do it again; and with Dick, too!"

Mr. Wilson came hurrying home for a late supper, and announced he must
go to New York by a late train.

"A good chance for you," he said to his wife, "to go and see your
sister. You won't have more than a day with her, for I shall have to
take the night train back, but it w