"Grow!" said Abraham, in a tone of commiseration. "Alas for you! They swarm here. And Frank has a passion for them. He brings in choice specimens alive and confines them in his room by dozens, and then they creep out and wander about the house, and disport themselves fiendishly in the halls and on the stairs."
"Don't you believe him, Marion; it was only one poor, unlucky black snake, and I did not bring him in, either. It was the cat, I suppose; or perhaps he crawled in himself, but Bram always lays him to me."
"You'll see," said Bram.
"And you'll see when I get you alone, old fellow," said Frank, threateningly. "Just wait till I catch you down-stairs."
"Yes, I expect my distracted family will find my mangled body in a pit some time, all tanned into leather. It is a fate to which I have always been looking forward."
"Because your guilty conscience tells you, you deserve it. Come, Harry, let's go down and trim hides, and leave him to plunge into the wild dissipations of the town and spend all his pocket-money in peppermint drops. That's the magnet that draws him over to Ivanhoe. It isn't Cousin Helen; it's the candy-shop. Please excuse us, mother."
"Mother must excuse all of us if she pleases; for if the boys are going over for Helen, there is no time to lose. There! Be off, youngsters, and don't run away with the horses nor let them run away with you."
"Follow, follow, clansmen all," sang Abram as he left the room. "Come along, Scotchmen."
"Marion looks bewildered," said Mr. Van Alstine as he stopped a moment after the boys were gone. "She isn't used to the company of such 'a raft of boys,' as poor Gerty calls them."
"She will soon get used to them," said Mrs. Van Alstine. "They are good boys, though I say it that shouldn't."