Maybe　you　might　make　room　for　the　trout。〃　　Room　for　him　as　well；　they
  assured　him；　they　were　in　luck　to　find　him；　they　explained。　　〃Well；　I
  guess　I'll　trust　my　neck　with　you；〃　he　said　to　Bertie；　the　skillful
  driver；　〃'tain't　five　minutes'　risk。〃　　The　buggy　leaned；　and　its　springs
  bent　as　he　climbed　in；　wedging　his　mature　bulk　between　their　slim
  shapes。　　The　gelding　looked　round　the　shaft　at　them。　　〃Protestin'；　are
  you？〃　he　said　to　it。　　〃These　light…weight　stoodents　spile　you！〃　　So　the
  gelding　went　on；　expressing；　however；　by　every　line　of　its　body；　a　sense
  of　outraged　justice。　　The　boys　related　their　difficult　search；　and
  learned　that　any　mention　of　the　name　of　Diggs　would　have　brought　them
  straight。　　〃Bill　Higgs　of　the　Bird…in…Hand　was　my　father；　and　my
  grandf'ther；　and　his　father；　and　has　been　me　sence　I　come　back　from　the
  war　and　took　the　business　in　'65。　　I'm　not　commonly　to　be　met　out　this
  late。　　About　fifteen　minutes　earlier　is　my　time　for　gettin'　back；　unless
  I'm　plannin'　for　a　jamboree。　　But　to…night　I　got　to　settin'　and　watchin'
  that　sunset；　and　listenin'　to　a　darned　red…winged　blackbird；　and　I　guess
  Mrs。　Higgs　has　decided　to　expect　me　somewheres　about　noon　to…morrow　or
  Friday。　Say；　did　Johnnie　send　you？　　〃When　he　found　that　John　had　in　a
  measure　been　responsible　for　their　journey；　he　filled　with　gayety。　　〃Oh；
  Johnnie's　a　bird！〃　said　he。　　〃He's　that　demure　on　first　appearance。
  Walked　in　last　evening　and　wanted　dinner。　　Did　he　tell　you　what　he　ate？
  Guess　he　left　out　what　he　drank。　　Yes；　he's　demure。〃
  You　might　suppose　that　upon　their　landlord's　safe　and　sober　return
  fifteen　minutes　late；　instead　of　on　the　expected　noon　of　Thursday　or
  Friday；　their　landlady　would　show　signs　of　pleasure；　but　Mrs。　Diggs　from
  the　porch　threw　an　uncordial　eye　at　the　three　arriving　in　the　buggy。
  Here　were　two　more　like　Johnnie　of　last　night。　　She　knew　them　by　the
  clothes　they　wore　and　by　the　confidential　tones　of　her　husband's　voice
  as　he　chatted　to　them。　　He　had　been　old　enough　to　know　better　for　twenty
  years。　　But　for　twenty　years　he　had　taken　the　same　extreme　joy　in　the
  company　of　Johnnies；　and　they　were　bad　for　his　health。　　Her　final　proof
  that　they　belonged　to　this　hated　breed　was　when　Mr。　Diggs　thumped　the
  trout　down　on　the　porch；　and　after　briefly　remarking；　〃Half　of　'em
  boiled；　and　half　broiled　with　bacon；〃　himself　led　away　the　gelding　to
  the　stable　instead　of　intrusting　it　to　his　man　Silas。
  〃You　may　set　in　the　parlor；〃　said　Mrs。　Diggs；　and　departed　stiffly　with
  the　basket　of　trout。
  〃It's　false；〃　said　Billy；　at　once。
  Bertie　did　not　grasp　his　thought。
  〃Her　hair；〃　said　Billy。　　And　certainly　it　was　an　unusual…looking
  arrangement。
  Presently；　as　they　sat　near　a　parlor　organ　in　the　presence　of　earnest
  family　portraits；　Bertie　made　a　new　poem　for　Billy；
  〃Said　Aristotle　unto　Plato；
  'Have　another　sweet　potato？　'〃
  And　Billy　responded；　…
  〃Said　Plato　unto　Aristotle；
  'Thank　you；　I　prefer　the　bottle。'〃
  〃In　here；　are　you？〃　said　their　beaming　host　at　the　door。　　〃Now；　I　think
  you'd　find　my　department　of　the　premises　cosier；　so　to　speak。〃　　He
  nudged　Bertie。　　〃Do　you　boys　guess　it's　too　early　in　the　season　for　a
  silver…fizz？〃
  We　must　not　wholly　forget　Oscar　in　Cambridge。　　During　the　afternoon　he
  had　not　failed　in　his　punctuality；　two　more　neat　witnesses　to　this　lay
  on　the　door…mat　beneath　the　letter…slit　of　Billy's　room；　And　at　the
  appointed　hour　after　dinner　a　third　joined　them；　making　five。　　John
  found　these　cards　when　he　came　home　to　go　to　bed；　and　picked　them　up　and
  stuck　them　ornamentally　in　Billy's　looking…glass；　as　a　greeting　when
  Billy　should　return；　The　eight　o'clock　visit　was　the　last　that　Oscar
  paid　to　the　locked　door；　He　remained　through　the　evening　in　his　own
  room；　studious；　contented；　unventilated；　indulging　in　his　thick　notes；
  and　also　in　the　thought　of　Billy's　and　Bertie's　eleventh…hour
  scholarship；　〃Even　with　another　day；〃　he　told　himself；　〃those　young　men
  could　not　have　got　fifty　per　cent；〃　In　those　times　this　was　the　passing
  mark。　To…day　I　believe　you　get　an　A；　or　a　B；　or　some　other　letter
  denoting　your　rank。　　In　due　time　Oscar　turned　out　his　gas　and　got　into
  his　bed　；　and　the　clocks　of　Massachusetts　struck　midnight。
  Mrs。　Diggs　of　the　Bird…in…Hand　had　retired　at　eleven；　furious　with　rage；
  but　firm　in　dignity　in　spite　of　a　sudden　misadventure。　　Her　hair；　being
  the　subject　of　a　sporting　event；　had　remained　steadily　fixed　in　Billy's
  mind；steadily　fixed　throughout　an　entertainment　which　began　at　an
  early　hour　to　assume　the　features　of　a　celebration。　　One　silver…fizz
  before　dinner　is　nothing；　but　dinner　did　not　come　at　once；　and　the　boys
  were　thirsty。　　The　hair　of　Mrs。　Diggs　had　caught　Billy's　eye　again
  immediately　upon　her　entrance　to　inform　them　that　the　meal　was　ready；
  and　whenever　she　reentered　with　a　new　course　from　the　kitchen；　Billy's
  eye　wandered　back　to　it；　although　Mr。　Diggs　had　become　full　of　anecdotes
  about　the　Civil　War。　　It　was　partly　Grecian：　a　knot　stood　out　behind　to
  a　considerable　distance。　　But　this　was　not　the　whole　plan。　From　front　to
  back　ran　a　parting；　clear　and　severe；　and　curls　fell　from　this　to　the
  temples　in　a　manner　called；　I　believe；　by　the　enlightened；　a　l'Anne
  d'Autriche。　　The　color　was　　gray；　to　be　sure；　but　this　propriety　did　not
  save　the　structure　from　Billy's　increasing　observation。　　As　bottles　came
  to　stand　on　the　table　in　greater　numbers；　the　closer　and　the　more
  solemnly　did　Billy　continue　to　follow　the　movements　of　Mrs。　Diggs。　　They
  would　without　doubt　have　noticed　him　and　his　foreboding　gravity　but　for
  Mr。　Diggs's　experiences　in　the　Civil　War。
  The　repast　was　finishedso　far　as　eating　went。　　Mrs。　Diggs　with
  changeless　dudgeon　was　removing　and　washing　the　dishes。　　At　the
  revellers'　elbows　stood　the　1820　port　in　its　fine；　fat；　old；　dingy
  bottle；　going　pretty　fast。　　Mr。　Diggs　was　nearing　the　end　of　Antietam。〃
  That　morning　of　the　18th；　while　McClellan　was　holdin'　us　squattin'　and
  cussin'；〃　he　was　saying　to　Bertie；　when　some　sort　of　shuffling　sound　in
  the　corner　caught　their　attention。　　We　can　never　know　how　it　happened。
  Billy　ought　to　know；　but　does　not；　and　Mrs。　Diggs　allowed　no　subsequent
  reference　to　the　casualty。　　But　there　she　stood　with　her　entire　hair　at
  right　angles。　　The　Grecian　knot　extended　above　her　left　ear；　and　her
  nose　stuck　through　one　set　of　Anne　d'Autriche。　　Beside　her　Billy　stood；
  solemn　as　a　stone；　yet　with　a　sort　of　relief　glazed　upon　his　face。
  Mr。　Diggs　sat　straight　up　at　the　vision　of　his　spouse。　　〃Flouncing
  Florence！〃　was　his　exclamation。　　〃Gee…whittaker；　Mary；　if　you　ain't　the
  most　unmitigated　sight！〃　　And　wind　then　left　him。
  Mary's　reply　arrived　in　tones　like　a　hornet　stinging　slowly　and　often。
  〃Mr。　Diggs；　I　have　put　up　with　many　things；　and　am　expecting　to　put　up
  with　many　more。　　But　you'd　behave　better　if　you　consorted　with
  gentlemen。〃
  The　door　slammed　and　she　was　gone。　　Not　a　word　to　either　of　the　boys；
  not　even　any　notice　of　them。　　It　was　thorough；　and　silence　consequently
  held　them　for　a　moment。
  〃He　didn't　mean　anything；〃　said　Bertie；　growing　partially　responsible。
  〃Didn't　mean　anything；〃　repeated　Billy；　like　a　lesson。
  〃I'll　take　him　and　he'll　apologize；〃　Bertie　pursued；　walking　over　to
  Billy。
  〃He'll　apologize；〃　went　Billy；　like　a　cheerful　piece　of　mechanism。
  Responsibility　was　still　quite　distant　from　him。
  Mr。　Diggs　got　his　wind　back。　　〃Better　not；〃　he　advised　in　something　near
  a　whisper。　　〃Better　not　go　after　her。　　Her　father　was　a　fightin'
  preacher；　and　she'swell；　begosh！　she's　a　chip　of　the　old　pulpit。〃　　And
  he　rolled　his　eye　towards　the　door。　　Another　door　slammed　somewhere
  above；　and　they　gazed　at　each　other；　did　Bertie　and　Mr。　Diggs。　　Then　Mr。
  Diggs；　still　gazing　at　Bertie；　beckoned　to　him　with　a　speaking　eye　and　a
  crooked　finger；　and　as　he　beckoned；　Bertie　approached　like　a　conspirator
  and　sat　down　close　to　him。　　〃Begosh！〃　whispered　Mr。　Diggs。
  〃Unmitigated。〃　And　at　this　he　and　Bertie　laid　their　heads　down　on　the
  table　and　rolled　about　in　spasms。
  Billy　from　his　corner　seemed　to　become　aware　of　them。　　With　his　eye
  fixed　upon　them　like　a　statue；　he　came　across　the　room；　and；　sitting
  down　near　them　with　formal　politeness；　observed；　〃Was　you　ever　to　the
  battle　of　Antietam？〃　　This　sent　them　beyond　the　limit；　and　they　rocked
  their　heads　on　the　table　and　wept　as　if　they　would　expire。
  Thus　the　three　remained；　during　what　space　of　time　is　not　known：　the　two
  upon　the　table；　convalescent　with　relapses；　and　Billy　like　a　seated
  idol；　unrelaxed　at　his　vigil。　　The　party　was　seen　through　the　windows　by
  Silas；　coming　from　the　stable　to　inquire　if　the　gelding　should　not　be
  harnessed。　　Silas　leaned　his　face　to　the　pane；　and　envy　spoke　plainly　in
  it。　　〃O　my！　　O　my！〃　he　mentioned　aloud　to　himself。　　So　we　have　the　whole
  household：　Mrs。　Diggs　reposing　scornfully　in　an　upper　chamber；　all　par