Dab Kinzer | Page 6

so much rather have a
frock-coat walk beside me to meeting."
CHAPTER III.
A MEMBER OF ONE OF THE OLDEST FAMILIES MEETS A
YOUNG GENTLEMAN FROM THE CITY.
Dick Lee had been more than half right about the village being a
dangerous place for him, with such an unusual amount of clothing over
his ordinary uniform.
The very dogs, every one of whom was an old acquaintance, barked at
him on his way home that night; and, proud as were his ebony father
and mother of the improvement in their son's appearance, they yielded

to his earnest entreaties, first, that he might wear his present all the next
day, and, second, that he might betake himself to the "bay" early in the
morning, and so keep out of sight "till he got used to it."
"On'y, you jist mind wot yer about!" said his mother, "and see't you
keep dem clo'es from gettin' wet. I jist can't 'foard to hab dem spiled
right away."
The fault with Dab Kinzer's old suit, after all, had lain mainly in its size
rather than its materials; for Mrs. Kinzer was too good a manager to be
really stingy.
Dick succeeded in reaching the boat-landing without falling in with any
one who seemed disposed to laugh at him; but there, right on the wharf,
was a white boy of about his own age, and he felt a good deal like
backing out.
"Nebber seen him afore, either," said Dick to himself. "Den I guess I
ain't afeard ob him."
The stranger was a somewhat short and thick-set, but bright and
active-looking boy, with a pair of very keen, greenish-gray eyes. But,
after all, the first word he spoke to poor Dick was,--
"Hullo, clothes! Where are you going with all that boy?"
"I knowed it, I knowed it!" groaned Dick. But he answered as sharply
as he knew how,--
"I's goin' a-fishin'. Any ob youah business?"--
"Where'd you learn how to fish?" the stranger asked, "Down South?
Didn't know they had any there."
"Nebbah was down Souf," was the somewhat surly reply.
"Father run away, did he?"
"He nebber was down dar, nudder."

"Nor his father?"
"'Tain't no business ob yourn," said Dick, "but we's allers lived right
heah, on dis bay."
"Guess not," said the white boy knowingly. Dick was right,
nevertheless; for his people had been slaves among the very earliest
Dutch settlers, and had never "lived South" at all. He was now busily
getting one of the boats ready to shove off; but his white tormentor
went at him again, with,--
"Well, then, if you've lived round here as long as that, you must know
everybody."
"Reckon I do."
"Are there any nice fellows around here? Any like me?"
"De nicest young gen'lman round dis bay," replied Dick, "is Mr. Dab
Kinzer. But he ain't like you. Not nuff to hurt him."
"Dab Kinzer," exclaimed the stranger. "Where'd he get his name?"
"In de bay, I 'spect," said Dick, as he shoved his boat off; "caught 'im
wid a hook."
"Anyhow," said the strange boy to himself, "that's probably the kind of
fellow my father would wish me to associate with. Only it's likely he's
very ignorant."
And he walked away towards the village, with the air of a man who had
forgotten more than the rest of his race were ever likely to find out.
At all events, Dick Lee had managed to say a good word for his
benefactor, little as he could guess what might be the consequences.
Meantime Dab Kinzer, when he went out from breakfast, had strolled
away to the north fence, for a good look at the house which was
thenceforth to be the home of his favorite sister. He had seen it before,

every day since he could remember; but it seemed to have a fresh and
almost mournful interest for him just now.
"Hullo!" he exclaimed, as he leaned against the fence. "Putting up
ladders? Oh, yes, I see! That's old Tommy McGrew, the house-painter.
Well, Ham's house needs a new coat as badly as I did. Sure it'll fit too.
Only it ain't used to it, any more'n I am."
"Dabney!"
It was his mother's voice, and Dab felt like "minding" very promptly
that morning.
"Dabney, my boy, come here to the gate."
"Ham Morris is having his house painted," he remarked, as he walked
towards his mother.
"Is he?" she said. "We'll go and see about it."
The gate between the two "side-yards" had been there from time
immemorial, and-they walked right through. As they drew nearer the
Morris house, however, Dabney discovered that carpenters as well as
painters were plying their trade in and about the old homestead. There
were window-sashes piled here, and blinds there; a new door or so,
ready for