and then forget all about it. But Bones wants us to come over to his house, so if you have no objections we'll just saunter across lots and see what he's got going."
"Just as you say." remarked Ralph, rising immediately; "though unless you object I thought of dropping in at the post-office on the way. There's a mail in, and possibly a letter might come for me that I could get before the carrier came around."
Frank looked at him with pity in in his eyes. He knew how secretly Ralph was suffering all the pangs that can come with hope long deferred; and that each day seemed like an eternity to the boy who was yearning to feel the loving arms of a mother about his neck, a mother whom he had never known.
"Certainly; that's only a step out of the way. But be careful as you go, and if you see a brindle pup in a vacant lot run for your life! They're mighty dangerous, I'm told," at which both boys laughed again, and the cloud passed from Ralph's rather pale face.
As chance would have it, as they issued from the front door a vehicle passed the house, and in it were seated Minnie Cuthbert and Lef Seller, the fellow 'whom she had more than once declared she never meant to speak to again. It was Lef's rig, and the object he had in view in thus delibarately passing Frank's home was obvious.
Frank, after that one start, was prepared. He
