propounding the most astounding theories. I was quite glad when
Mr. Dudley and Hugh caught us up.

"You did come along fast, old man," said Mr. Dudley.

"It wasn't me, it was you," panted Hugh. "It truthfully was, Aunt
Woggles, and he wasn't going to church at all till I told him you
were going. I'm awfully out of breath because he wanted to catch
you up, so it wasn't me all the time."

I was sorry Hugh and Mr. Dudley had caught us up.

Mr. Dudley murmured something about "Young ruffian," and I felt it
my duty as well as my pleasure to tell Hugh not to talk so much.

"I 'sect you want to sit next my Aunt Woggles, don't you?" said
Hugh to Mr. Dudley; "but you can't, because I said, 'bags I sit
next Aunt Woggles in church' before she came to stay, ever so long
before, before two Christmases ago, I should think it was, or
nearly before two Christmases ago!"

Betty's grasp on my hand tightened, and I returned it with a
reassuring pressure, as much as to say, "There are two sides to
every aunt in church, dear Betty; it is a comfort to know that."

"I may sit next you, mayn't I?"

"Yes, Betty," I said.

"You are very rosy, Aunt Woggles," said Hugh. "Do you love my