Emily shook her head. "I am glad I didn't have to answer that remark,
Auntie," she said. "I never could have done it without disgracing
myself. She is a genuine Mrs. Malaprop, isn't she?"

This was a trifle too deep for Mrs. Barnes, who replied that she didn't
know, she having never met the Mrs. What's-her-name to whom her cousin
referred. "She's a genuine curiosity, this Parker woman, if that's what
you mean, Emily," she said. "And so's her brother, though a different
kind of one. We must get Cap'n Bangs to tell us more about 'em in the
mornin'. He thinks that--that heirloom house of mine will look better
in the daylight. Well, I hope he's right; it looked hopeless enough
tonight, what I could see of it."

"I like that Captain Bangs," observed Emily.

"So do I. It seems as if we'd known him for ever so long. And how his
salt-water talk does take me back. Seems as if I was hearin' my father
and Uncle Abner--yes, and Eben, too--speakin'. And it is so sort of good
and natural to be callin' somebody 'Cap'n.' I was brought up amongst
cap'ns and I guess I've missed 'em more'n I realized. Now you must go
to sleep; you'll need all the sleep you can get, and that won't be much.
Good night."

"Good night," said Emily, sleepily. A few minutes later she said:
"Auntie, what did become of that lantern our driver was so anxious
about? The last I saw of it it was on the floor by the sofa where I was
lying. But I didn't seem to remember it after the captain and Mr. Parker
came."

Mrs. Barnes' reply was, if not prompt, at least conclusive.