that the clothes had belonged to her brother, who
was now a lieutenant in a regiment stationed in Poland, and that they
had long been outgrown; he being now, as she signified by holding up
her hand, over six feet in height.

A quarter of an hour later the dinner was announced, and the countess
in a stately way took Dick's arm, and Jack, not without blushing,
offered his to the eldest of the girls. The dinner was, in the boys'
eyes, magnificent. Several domestics stood behind the chairs and
anticipated their wants. The girls continued their Russian lessons by
telling them the names of everything on the table, and making them
repeat them after them, and there was so much laughter and merriment,
that long as the meal was, it was by no means formal or ceremonious.
They learnt that the Count Preskoff was absent at some estates in the
north of Russia, and that he was not likely to return for some little
time.

After dinner Dick asked Katinka to tell the countess that they did not
wish to be troublesome, and that they would be out and about the
place, and would not intrude upon them except when they wished to have
them. The countess replied through her daughter that they would be
always glad to have them in the room.

"You will really be a great amusement to us. We were very dull before,
and instead of being a trouble, as Count Smerskoff no doubt intended
when he quartered you upon us, you will make a very pleasant break. It
is dreadfully dull here now," she said. "There is no longer any
gayety, many of our neighbors are away, and nobody talks of anything
but that horrid war. Count Smerskoff is almost the only person we see,
and," and she shrugged her pretty shoulders, "he's worse than nothing.
And now, mamma says, would you like to ride or to go out in a sledge?
If you would like some shooting, there is plenty in the neighborhood.
But of course for that you will want a whole day, and it must be
arranged beforehand. I wish my brother Orloff had been at home. He
could have looked after you nicely."

Delighted at the prospect, the boys said that they should like a
drive, and a few minutes later, descending to the courtyard, they
found a sledge with three horses at the door.

"What a stunning turn-out!" Jack exclaimed, delighted. "We shall fancy
we are princes, Dick, and get spoiled altogether for a midshipman's
berth."

The sledge was of graceful form, painted deep blue. The seats were
covered with furs, while an apron