"Steeple enough," said Ford. "Are the rest churches?"
"Yes; and, if you don't go to church reg'lar, Old By'll be sure to hear of it."
"Old By" was the irreverent nickname they had selected for Dr. Abiram
Brandegee; and Fuz added,—
"Never mind him, boys. He's a raspy old fellow; but he's such a little, old, withered wisp of a chap, you'll soon get used to him."
Dab was bewildered enough, just then, to wonder how such a weak-minded, malicious old dwarf as had been painted to him, could have managed to get and keep so high a position in so remarkably beautiful a place as Grantley. He said something about the village being so pretty; but Dick Lee had been staring eagerly in all directions, and replied with,—
"Jes' one little mite of a patch ob water! Is dar any fish to ketch?"
"Fish? In that pond?" said Fuz. "Why, it's alive with 'em. The people of
Grantley just live on fish."
"Guess I knows 'bout how many dey is now," said Dick soberly; and he was not far from right, for there were no fish to speak of in that willow-bordered mill-pond.
"Mrs. Myers will hardly be up so early as this," said Dab. "We can get our trunks over by and by. Let's have a look at the village. Joe, it's your turn to steer now. You and Fuz know how the land lies."
They were ready enough to tell all they knew, and a good deal more; but the listeners they had that morning were not without eyes of their own, and it was not a very fatiguing task to walk all over the village of Grantley.