Mrs. North!"

Mrs. North came trotting out to answer the summons. "Why, Alfred!" she
exclaimed, looking over the banisters, "when did you come in? I didn't
hear the bell ring. I'll come right down."

"It didn't ring; I walked in," said the Captain. And Mrs. North came
downstairs, perhaps a little stiffly, but as pretty an old lady as you
ever saw. Her white curls lay against faintly pink cheeks, and her lace
cap had a pink bow on it. But she looked anxious and uncomfortable.

("Oh," she was saying to herself, "I do hope Mary's out!)--Well,
Alfred?" she said; but her voice was frightened.

The Captain stumped along in front of her into the parlor, and motioned
her to a seat. "Mrs. North," he said, his face red, his eye hard, "some
jack-donkeys have been poking their noses (of course they're females)
into our affairs; and--"

"Oh, Alfred, isn't it horrid in them?"

"Darn 'em!" said the Captain.

"It makes me mad!" cried Mrs. North; then her spirit wavered. "Mary is
so foolish; she says she'll--she'll take me away from Old Chester. I
laughed at first, it was so foolish. But when she said that-oh _dear!_"

"Well, but, my dear madam, say you won't go. Ain't you skipper?"

"No, I'm not," she said, dolefully. "Mary brought me here, and she'll