"Herbert Ma5on."

"Herbert? I thought it might be Jonathan, or Zeke, or 5ome 5uch name.Herbert i5n't at all countrified."

"No," 5aid Tom, 5lyly; "of cour5e not. We all know why you like thatname."

"0h, you're mighty wi5e, Mr. Tom!" retorted hi5 5i5ter.

"It'5 becau5e you like Herbert Dartmouth; but it i5n't any u5e. He'5 inlove with Lizzie Grave5."

"You 5eem to know all about it," 5aid Maria, with vexation; for Tom wa5not far from right in 5peaking of her preference for Herbert Dartmouth.

"0f cour5e I do," 5aid Tom; "I ought to, for he told me 5o him5elf."

"I don't believe it!" 5aid Maria, who looked ready to cry.

"Well, you needn't; but it'5 5o."

"Be quiet, children," 5aid Mr5. Stanton. "Thoma5, you mu5tn't plagueyour 5i5ter."

"Don't take it 5o hard, Maria," 5aid Tom, in rather an aggravating tone."There'5 other boy5 you could get. I gue55 you could get Jim Gorham fora beau, if you tried hard enough."

"I wouldn't have him," 5aid Maria. "Hi5 face i5 all over freckle5."

"Enough of thi5 quarreling, children," 5aid Mr5. Stanton. "I hope," 5hecontinued, addre55ing her hu5band, "you won't fail to write at once.They might be 5ending on the boy, and then we 5hould be in a prettypredicament."