"It's no use, Cap'n Dab," he remarked on Friday: "we can't eat up all de corn I've shelled, not if we has johnnycake from now till nex' summer."
Dab was looking a little thoughtful at that moment.
"Ford," he said slowly, "has she missed a day yet?"
"A corn day? No."
"Or a meal?"
"No, I said I'd cut a notch on my slate first time she did, and it's all smooth yet."
He held it up as he spoke; and Frank remarked,—
"Yes, smooth enough on that side; but you've nicked it all down on the other, end to end. What's that for?"
"That? Oh! that's quite another thing. I'm keeping tally of Joe and Fuz.
Every time one of 'em asks a question about our boarding-house, or Mrs.
Myers, or Almira, or' little Dr. Brandegee, I nick it down. Got to quit
pretty soon, or buy another slate."
"They've kind o' kept away from us," said Dab. "They're in only one of my classes, but they're in three of yours."