with Aunt Rachel's plans."

"You seem to speak as if your aunt proposed to run away," said Mr.
Harding, jocosely.

"You shouldn't speak of such things, nephew; I am shocked," said Rachel.

"Then you won't go, ma'am?" asked the captain.

"If I thought it was consistent with propriety," said Rachel,
hesitating. "What do you think, Martha?"

"I think there is no objection," said Mrs. Harding, secretly amazed at
Rachel's entertaining the idea.

The result was that Miss Rachel put on her things, and accompanied the
captain. She was prevailed on to take the captain's arm at length,
greatly to Jack's amusement. He was still more amused when a boy picked
up her handkerchief which she had accidentally dropped, and, restoring
it to the captain, said, "Here's your wife's handkerchief, gov'nor."

"Ho! ho!" laughed the captain. "He takes you for my wife, ma'am."

"Ho! ho!" echoed Jack, equally amused.

Aunt Rachel turned red with confusion. "I am afraid I ought not to have
come," she murmured. "I feel ready to drop."

"You'd better not drop just yet," said the captain--they were just
crossing the street--"wait till it isn't so muddy."