"He needn't _pertect_ ME," spoke up Miss Dimple, from the depths of an
easy-chair; "I can pertect myself."

"Don't mind going to the Museum alone, I suppose, and crossing ferries,
and riding in the Park, and being out after dark?"

"No; I'm not afraid of things," replied the strong-minded young lady;
"ask Prudy if I am. And my father lets me go in the horse-cars all over
Portland. That's since I travelled out west."

Here the bell sounded, and the only gentleman of the house gave his arm
to Mrs. Allen, to lead her out to what he supposed was supper, though he
soon found it went by the name of dinner. Neither he nor his young
cousins were accustomed to seeing so much silver and so many servants;
but they tried to appear as unconcerned as if it were an every-day
affair. Dotty afterwards said to Prudy and Horace, "I was 'stonished
when that man came to the back of my chair with the butter; but I said,
'_If_ you please, sir,' just as if I 'spected it. _He_ don't know but my
father's rich."

After dinner Fly's eyes drew together, and Prudy said,--

"O, darling, you don't know what's going to happen. Auntie said you
might sleep with Dotty and me to-night, right in the middle."

"O, dear!" drawled Flyaway; "when there's two abed, I sleep; but when
there's three abed, I open out my eyes, and can't."

"So you don't like to sleep with your cousins," said Dotty, "your dear