In stooping to pick it up, he awkwardly hit his head against the older
girl, who already looked so mischievous that he was rather afraid of
her.

"Wish I could get out of the way. She expects me to speak, but I shan't.

"'Needles and pins, needles and pins,
When a man travels his trouble begins.'"

Horace was obliged to stand, very ill at ease, till the black-eyed lady
had found out where he lived, who his father was, and what was his
mother's name before she was married.

"Tell your father, when you go home, you have seen Mrs. Bonnycastle,
formerly Ann Jones, and give him my regards. I knew he married a lady
from Maine."

"I know sumpin," struck in Fly; "if ever _I_ marry anybody, I'll marry
my own brother Hollis. I mean if I don't be a ole maid!"

"And what is 'a ole maid,' you little witch?"

"I don' know; some folks is," was the wise reply. Flyaway was about to
add "Gampa Clifford," but did not feel well enough acquainted to talk of
family matters.

When the Bonnycastles left, at Cleveland, Horace thought that was the
last of them. Miss Gerty was "decent-looking, looked some like Cassy
Hallock; but he couldn't bear to see folks giggle; hoped he never should
set eyes on those people again." Whether he ever did, you shall hear one