successfully devoured six gapes behind her hand, but was detected in
the seventh by Mr. Bopp, who glanced at the clock, stopped in the
middle of a sentence, and, with a hurried "goot-night," made for the
door without the least idea whither he was going. Piloted by Dick,
he was installed in the "best chamber," where his waking dreams were
enlivened by a great fire, and his sleeping ones by an endless
succession of skeins, each rapturously concluded in the style of Sam
Weller when folding carpets with the pretty maid.

"I tell you, Dolly, it won't do, and I'm not going to have it."

"Oh, indeed; and how will you help it, you absurd boy?"

"Why, if you don't stop it, I'll just say to Bopp,--'Look here, my
dear fellow; this sister of mine is a capital girl, but she will
flirt and'"--

"And it's a family failing, Dick," cut in Dolly.

"Not a bit of it. I shall say, 'Take care of your heart, Bopp, for
she has a bad habit of playing battle-door and shuttle-cock with
these articles; and, though it may be very good fun for a time, it
makes them ache when they get a last knock and are left to lie in a
corner.'"

"What eloquence! But you'd never dare to try it on Mr. Bopp; and I
shouldn't like to predict what would happen to you if you did."

"If you say 'dare,' I'll do it the first minute I see him. As for
consequences, I don't care that for 'em;" and Dick snapped his