' down."

And with Grandma, indeed, the turmoils of this sublunary sphere implied
only a vast ultimate settling down.

But if such deep rest came to Grandpa, it was only as a dream from which
he was soon to be rudely awakened.

The sound of his footsteps had ceased. I knew that he was seated in his
chair by the fire, and I heard the long-handled popper shaken back and
forth upon the stove, at first as if moved by the power of a steadfast
purpose. But the sound grew fainter, the motions less regular. They were
several times desperately renewed, and then ceased altogether, so quickly
had Grandpa soared beyond the low vicissitudes of a corn-popping world.
Soon a burning smell arose. Then the door of the kitchen opened. Grandpa
was startled. I knew the catastrophe. The corn-popper with its contents
had been precipitated to the floor. Then I heard a courteous male voice,
with just a touch of suppressed merriment in it:--

"Never mind, Captain! small business for you, steering such a slim craft
as that, eh? On a red-hot, stove, too!"

"Humph! Topmast heavier than the hull," replied Grandpa, accepting with
gratitude, in this extremity, the sympathy of the new-comer.

The other gave a low laugh.

"Never mind, Captain!" he repeated, "we'll have it slick here in a minute.
Let me take the broom. You've got it wrong side up. By Harry, we've got
the deluge _inside_ the Ark this time, Captain!"

"Tarnal water-pail slipped moorin's," confessed Grandpa.

Then followed a vigorous sound of corn rattling, and water swashing
against the sides of the room, and I knew that Mr. Rollin, the elegant,
was sweeping out the kitchen of the Ark.

"I guess they's somebody else come," exclaimed Grandma, with hospitable
glee. "Wall, I declare for't. I guess I'll go out into my kitchen and git
that little no-back cheer. Seems to me as though we'd got all the rest on
'em in use, pretty much."

"I'll go, ma," said Madeline. "Teacher'll be wanted to play now, and may
be she will? though she can't be got to do it for common folks."

I did not enjoy playing on Madeline's melodeon. Any performances of that
kind which I had undertaken had been confined exclusively to an audience
of the Wallencampers. I had certainly never made an exception for the
amusement of the fisherman. But I flattered myself that there was no
trace of resentment in my tone when I said, "Sit still, Madeline, please,
I know where the chair is. Don't I, Grandma?" and was gropin