“Mr. Holden, Herbert,” introduced the doctor.  “Mr. Holden, this is the boy we have been speaking of.”

“I have seen Mr. Holden before,” said Herbert, coldly.

“Yes,” said Mr. Holden, writhing his disagreeable features into an unpleasant smile.  “We have met before.”

Dr. Kent looked from one to the other in surprise, as if seeking an explanation.

“Our acquaintance doesn’t date very far back,” said Mr. Holden.  “We met this morning between here and the mill village.”

“Indeed,” said the doctor; “you passed each other, I suppose.”

“Well, no; I can’t say we did exactly,” said Mr. Holden, with the same unpleasant smile, “We tried to, but the road being narrow, there was a collision, and I came off second-best.”

“I hope there was no accident.”

“Oh, nothing to speak of.  I got tipped out, and my clothes, as you may observe, suffered some.  As for my young friend here, he rode on uninjured.”

“You must excuse my not stopping to inquire if I could help you,” said Herbert; “but my horse was frightened by the collision, and I could not easily stop him.”

“Oh, it’s of no consequence,” said Mr. Holden, in an off-hand manner.  He was determined not to show himself out in his true colors until he had got Herbert absolutely under his control.

“But where is your horse, Mr. Holden?” asked Captain Ross.  “I think you were walking when you came to my house.”

“I sent it back to the village by a man I met on the road, my buggy being disabled.”

“Your carriage wasn’t much injured, I hope.”

“Oh, no, not much.”

“I don’t see exactly how it could happen,” said Captain Ross.  “I thought the road from here to the mill village was broad enough at any point for carriages to pass each other.”

“I didn’t dream,” said Mr. Holden, not noticing this remark, “that the young man I had engaged was my young acquaintance of the morning.”

Herbert looked at him, puzzled by his entire change of manner—­a change so sudden that he suspected its genuineness.

The more he thought of it, the more unwilling he felt to live with Mr. Holden.  But could it be avoided?  He resolved to try.  He accordingly told the doctor and Captain Ross of the promise that Mr. Keyes had made him.

“It would be a good place,” said the captain; “but it ain’t certain.  Now, here’s Mr. Holden, ready to take you at once.”

“If I was in the mill village I could come over and see my friends here now and then.  Besides, I think I should like being in a store.”

“Oh, I’ve got a store, too,” said Mr. Holden, “and I should expect you to tend there part of the time.  I don’t think I can let you off, my young friend,” he added, with a disagreeable smile.  “I think we shall get along very well together.”

Herbert did not feel at all sure of this, but he saw that it would do no good to remonstrate farther, and kept silence.  Soon after, Mr. Holden and Captain Ross rose to go.