He went no farther than the gate, to be sure, and then he returned for the rest of his rod: but before he got back with it, Keziah Kinzer hurried home from a call on Mrs.Foster, bringing a tremendous account of Dab's heroism; and then his own pride over what he had done was only a mere drop in the bucket, compared to that of his mother.
"Dabney is growing wonderfully," she remarked to Samantha, "He'll be a man before any of us know it." If Dab had been a man, however, or if Ham Morris or Mr.Foster had been at home, the matter would not have been permitted to drop there.

That tramp ought to have been followed, arrested, and shut up where his vicious propensities would have been under wholesome restraint for a while.

As it was, after hurrying on for a short distance, and making sure he was not pursued, he clambered over the fence, and sneaked into the nearest clump of bushes.

From this safe covert he watched Dab Kinzer's return after the lighter pieces of his rod; and then he even dared to crouch along the fence, and see which house his young conqueror went into.
"That's where he lives, is it ?" he muttered, with a scowl of the most ferocious vengeance.

"Well, they'll have some fun there before they git to bed to-night, or I'll know the reason why." It could not have occurred to such a man that he had been given his dinner at the door of that very house.