good fisher-woman," quoth Ephraim, a
light of pride in his eyes. "I've seen her sot on de bank ob de
Chesapeake, en cotch as many as 'leben fish in one hour. Big fellers,
too--none ob yo' lil' cat-fish en perch. Golly! I suah 'members de
time she hooked dat ole gar, en hollered fo' help tuh pull 'im out.
Den all de folks rush' up en grab de line, en ole Mistah Gar jes'
done come up outen de watah like he'd been shot out ob er gun."

Slapping his knees at the recollection, Ephraim guffawed loudly, and
with such enthusiasm that Aunt Betty forgot her infirmities and
joined in most heartily.

"The joke was on me that time, Ephy," she finally said, wiping the
tears from her eyes. "But we landed old 'Mistah Gar,' which I suppose
was what we wanted after all."

"Wish I might hook a gar to-day," said Jim.

"En like as not yo' will, chile, 'case dem gars is mighty plentiful
in de bay. Hardly a day go by, but w'at two or t'ree ob 'em is yanked
outen de sea, en lef' tuh dry up on de bank."

"Well, we'll try our hand at one if possible. Good-by, Dorothy!
Good-by, Aunt Betty. Have plenty of good things for lunch," were
Jim's parting words, as he and Ephraim strode off down the path
toward the gate. "We will be as hungry as bears when we get back, and
I'm smacking my lips now in anticipation of what we're going to
have."

"Go along!" said Aunt Betty. "You're too much trouble. I'll feed you
on corn bread and molasses." But she laughed heartily. It pleased her
to see Jim enjoying himself. "Oh, maybe I'll cook something nice for
you," she called after him--"something that will make your mouth
water sure enough."

"Yum yum! Tell me about it now," cried Jim.

"No; I'm going to surprise you," answered the mistress of Bellvieu,
and with a last wave of their hands, Jim and the old darkey
disappeared behind the big hedge.

They were hardly out of sight before the figure of a little,
gray-haired man walked slowly up to the gate, opened it, and
continued his way up the walk, and Dorothy Calvert, her heart beating
wildly, realized that she was being treated to her first sight of the
famous music master, Herr Deichenberg.

As the Herr paused before the steps of the Calvert mansion, hat in
hand, both Mrs. Calvert and Dorothy arose to greet him.

Dorothy saw before her a deeply intellectual face, framed in a long
mass of gray hair; an under lip slightly drooping; keen blue eyes,
which snapped and sparkled and seemed always to be lau