"What do you know about Evelina?" asked Rose in great surprise.

"All about her. Do you suppose I never read a novel?"

"I thought you read nothing but Greek and Latin, with an
occasional glance at Websky's pseudophites and the monoclinics of
Johanngeorgenstadt."

Mac opened his eyes wide at this reply, then seemed to see the joke and
joined in the laugh with such heartiness that Aunt Plenty's voice was
heard demanding from above with sleepy anxiety: "Is the house afire?"

"No, ma'am, everything is safe, and I'm only saying good night,"
answered Mac, diving for his cap.

"Then go at once and let that child have her sleep," added the old lady,
retiring to her bed.

Rose ran into the hall, and catching up her uncle's fur coat, met Mac as
he came out of the study, absently looking about for his own.

"You haven't any, you benighted boy! So take this, and have your wits
about you next time or I won't let you off so easily," she said, holding
up the heavy garment and peeping over it, with no sign of displeasure in
her laughing eyes.

"Next time! Then you do forgive me? You will try me again, and give me a
chance to prove that I'm not a fool?" cried Mac, embracing the big coat
with emotion.

"Of course I will, and, so far from thinking you a fool, I was much
impressed with your learning tonight and told Steve that we ought to be
proud of our philosopher."

"Learning be hanged! I'll show you that I'm not a bookworm but as much
a man as any of them, and then you may be proud or not, as you like!"
cried Mac with a defiant nod that caused the glasses to leap wildly off
his nose as he caught up his hat and departed as he came.

A day or two later Rose went to call upon Aunt Jane, as she dutifully
did once or twice a week. On her way upstairs she heard a singular sound
in the drawing room and involuntarily stopped to listen.

"One, two, three, slide! One, two, three, turn! Now, then, come on!"
said one voice impatiently.

"It's very easy to say 'come on,' but what the dickens do I do with my
left leg while I'm turning and sliding with my right?" demanded another
voice in a breathless and mournful tone.

Then the whistling and thumping went on more vigorously than before,
and Rose, recognizing the voices, peeped through the half-open door to
behold a sight which made her shake with suppressed laughter. Steve,
with a red tablecloth tied around his waist, languished upon Mac's
shoulder, dancing in perfect time to the