Charlie blushed, in the excess of his modesty.

"Pray, bring all your sketches, too," said Elinor. "Mary wrote me
you were drawing all winter; you must have a great deal that we
have not seen."

"They are certainly not worth looking at; but such as they are,
you shall see them."

"And don't forget the Arithmetic, too," said Mr. Wyllys, smiling;
"we had better look a little into Compound Interest, of course."

Charlie looked as if that were rather a sore subject, as he left
the room.

While he was gone, a carriage stopped at the little gate. It
proved to be the Taylors; and Mr. Taylor, with his wife, and a
couple of children, walked in. After a general salutation had
been exchanged, and two additional chairs had been brought from a
bed-room, to accommodate such an unusual number of visiters, Mr.
Taylor turned to Miss Patsey, and observed, in a jocular way:

"It is not etiquette, I believe, to call twice in the same day;
but I hope you will excuse us; for on this occasion, Mrs. Taylor
has come to transact a little business."

"As you seem to be engaged, Miss Hubbard, we will put it off
until another time," said Mrs. Taylor.
"