ls he had contrived to set his broom on fire and
was now waving it aloft in great delight. He had no mind to give it up
either, and frightened by the excited manner in which they rushed upon
him, he clung to it for dear life, filling the house with his shrieks.
In the struggle a roller towel caught fire and some damage might have
been done, but for the appearance of Miss Moore and Miss Sherwin.

The former seized the baby with a practised hand while her companion
unfastened the roller and let the towel fall to the floor, where the
fire was easily put out. It was all over when Mrs. Morrison, who had
heard the screams as she was dressing, came hurrying in, followed by Mr.
Clark. The General sat quiet in Miss Moore's lap, a finger in his mouth,
tears still on his cheek; Emma with a dazed expression was holding on to
all that remained of the broom; and Frances danced around excitedly
trying to explain how it happened.

When Mrs. Bond walked in, everything quieted down as if by magic.
Explanations were needless, her quick eyes took it all in: "Emma wasn't
minding what she was about," she said decidedly.

The Spectacle Man chuckled to himself as they all filed out, leaving her
restoring order. "The General is too much for Emma," he remarked; "it is
odd to see how like his mother that baby is already--as alert and
determined in the pursuit of mischief as she is in her more important
affairs."

"I have a dozen erratic infants not more than a year older than the
General, at my table in kindergarten, so I know something about it,"
said Miss Moore.

The excitement had broken the ice, and the Morrisons and their
third-floor neighbors went upstairs together chatting sociably. Miss
Sherwin, indeed, had not much to say; but her companion made up for her
silence, and accepted without hesitation Mrs. Morrison's invitation to
come in and make her and Frances a call.

"I have been wanting to come, but Lillian wouldn't let me," she said.

"It is not fair to say that without giving my reason," put in Miss
Sherwin, coloring in a way that was most becoming.

"I believe she thought you wouldn't care to know us," said Miss Moore,
laughing.

"That was a great mistake," answered Mrs. Morrison. "Frances and I are
sociable persons, and besides, we are strangers here."

"So are we, and we came here because Mr. Clark is an old friend of my
father's." As she spoke, Miss Moore looked about her with frankly
admiring eyes. "I am taking the ki