"Tom, that matter is no joke," came from Dick, as his face grew red. "I sincerely hope, for Dora Stanhope's sake, that he never marries Dora's mother."
"Oh, so do I," answered Tom readily. "Why, he isn't fit to be stepfather to a dog!"
"Let us look into the window and see what he is doing," suggested Dick uneasily, for he could not get it out of his head but that his brother's guess might be correct.
The window was broad and clear, and they looked through it into the shop with ease. Josiah Crabtree stood at the counter, talking to a clerk, who presently brought forth a tray of plain rings.
"It is a wedding ring, as sure as you are born!" cried Tom.
"I'm going in," said Dick in a low tone. "Wait for me here," and he entered the establishment. There were counters on both sides, and he walked to a position directly opposite to that occupied by the ex-schoolmaster.
"I wish to see some cheap scarfpins," he said to the clerk who came to wait on him, and the man hurried off to bring on the articles mentioned.
"And is this the latest style of wedding ring?" Dick heard Josiah Crabtree say in a low voice.
