"Occasionally I greatly fear so," I sighed.

"You wouldn't go loving anybody, would you, Uncle Dick?"

"Not if I could help it," I answered, shaking my head; "but I do
love some one, and that's the worst of it,"

"Oh!" exclaimed the Imp, but in a tone more of sorrow than anger.

"Don't be too hard on me, Imp," I said; "your turn may come when
you are older; you may love somebody one of these days."

The Imp frowned and shook his head. "No," he answered sternly;
"when I grow up big I shall keep ferrets. Ben, the gardener's boy,
has one with the littlest, teeniest pink nose you ever saw."

"Certainly a ferret has its advantages, I mused. "A ferret will not
frown upon one one minute and flash a dimple at one the next. And
then, again, a ferret cannot be reasonably supposed to possess an
aunt. There is something to be said for your idea after all, Imp."

"Why, then, let's be pirates, Uncle Dick," he said with an air of
finality. "I think I'll be Scarlet Sam, 'cause I know all about
him, an' you can be Timothy Bone, the boatswain."

"Aye, aye, sir," I responded promptly; "only I say, Imp, don't roll
your eyes so frightfully or you may roll yourself overboard,"

Scorning reply, he drew his cutlass, and setting it between his
teeth in most approved pirate fashion, sat, pistol in hand, frowning