newcomers. Betty, busying herself by fetching cups and saucers from the
china pantry, caught fragments of the conversation, and became aware
that Miss Moppet was telling the story of her adventure at Great Pond,
in the child's most dramatic fashion, and that Miss Euphemia was also
adding her testimony to the tale as it went on. They were presently
interrupted by the entrance of Oliver with his father's two aids, and
the large mahogany table was surrounded by guests, whose appetites bid
fair to do justice to Miss Bidwell's breakfast.

No sooner was the meal fairly under way than Oliver, eager to hear his
father's opinion, began the story of his capture of the day before, and
related how and where he had found Captain Yorke, and how safely he
supposed he had imprisoned him in the north chamber, from which his
clever and ready escape had been made. Oliver's narrative was
interrupted by exclamations from the officers and questions from his
father, who displayed keen interest in the matter.

"Father," said Moppet, seeing that the most important point had been
omitted in Oliver's story, and venturing to join in the conversation, as
few children of that period would have done, "Oliver's prisoner was my
good kind gentleman who pulled me out of the pond, and I am very, very
glad he has got away--aren't you?"

"I was indeed hard bestead, sir," burst in Oliver. "Here were Betty and
Moppet insisting that I must let Captain Yorke go free because of his
gallant act (which I fully appreciate), and the gentleman refusing his
parole because he preferred to take the chances of war, while I felt it
my sworn duty to detain him and to forward him to General Putnam without
delay, as I know we are in need of exchange for several of our officers
now held by Sir Henry Clinton, and this man is of Clinton's staff, and