t ready for sea by the
following morning! It was absolute and utter insanity! No one save a
madman or a sea-captain could have conceived such a thing, much less
have carried it into effect tyrannically.

The Misses Dunning could not attempt any piece of duty or work
separately. They always acted together, when possible; and might, in
fact, without much inconvenience, have been born Siamese twins.
Whatever Martha did, Jane attempted to do or to mend; wherever Jane
went, Martha followed. Not, by any means, that one thought she could
improve upon the work of the other; their conduct was simply the result
of a desire to assist each other mutually. When Martha spoke, Jane
echoed or corroborated; and when Jane spoke, Martha repeated her
sentences word for word in a scarcely audible whisper--not after the
other had finished, but during the course of the remarks.

With such dispositions and propensities, it is not a matter to be
wondered at that the good ladies, while arranging the tea-table, should
suddenly remember some forgotten article of Ailie's wardrobe, and rush
simultaneously into the child's bedroom to rectify the omission; or,
when thus engaged, be filled with horror at the thought of having left
the buttered toast too near the fire in the parlour.

"It is really quite perplexing," said Martha, sitting down with a sigh,
and regarding the tea-table with a critical gaze; "quite perplexing.
I'm sure I don't know how I shall bear it. It is too bad of George--
darling Ailie--(dear me, Jane, how crookedly you have placed the urn)--
it is really too bad."

"Too bad, indeed; yes, isn't it?" echoed Jane, in reference to the
captain's conduct, while she assisted Martha, who had risen to readjust
the urn.

"Oh!" exclaimed Martha, with a look of horror.

"What?" cried Jane, who looked and felt equally horrified, although she
knew not yet the cause.

"The eggs!"

"The eggs?"

"Yes, the eggs. You know every one of the last dozen we got was bad,
and we've forgot to send for more," said Martha.

"For more; so we have!" cried Jane; and both ladies rushed into the
kitchen, gave simultaneous and hurried orders to the servant-girl, and
sent her out of the house impressed with an undefined feeling that life
or death depended on the instant procuring of two dozen fresh eggs.

It may be as well to remark here, that the Misses Dunning, although
stiff, and starched, and formal, had the power of speeding nimbly from
room