"Yes, sir," she responded, with a quaint little old-time courtesy,
directed with much precision, so as to include the three adults,
beginning with the lady.

"And have you a spare room, or two; do you ever take in strangers for a
few days?"

"Sometimes, sir, when they do be gentlefolk, like you," with a smiling
little nod; "a lone woman can't be too keerful."

The blond lady stepped forward and took up the word in her sweet foreign
voice.

"Ah, it will be such a kindness, and we are most easy to bear, I hope
you will find."

"Yes, as my aunt says, you will not find us hard to suit; we can put up
with a few inconveniences, if necessary. Might we look at your rooms?"

These were found to be so neat and cheerful--in spite of low roofs and
small windows--that a bargain was quickly consummated; and having
planned with Miss Zeba for a dinner in half an hour, the young man
turned to his little guide.

"Now," said he, with the fun leaping to his eyes again, "now for the
ordeal! Will you conduct me to this Diogenes of a gunner, and have him
tell you, without a lantern, whether I am the man he is looking for, or
no?"

"Yes, we'll go," said Morton in a matter-of-fact tone; "but I don't