ce getting so red that it seemed as if he were going
to have a fit of apoplexy.

"By Jove!" he exclaimed, "you ought to be twins!"

It was only then that the other perceived the slip he had made, as did
his sister, and the two joined in the Captain's mirth; while Master Bob
also lent his help, although witless of what the general merriment was
about, the deep ho-ho-ho! of his father being even more contagious than
the catching laugh of his old friend the Captain.

"Sure, Dugald, you're the same careless fellow still," cried Mrs
Gilmour, as soon as she was able to get out a word. "As me poor dear
Ted used to say, you're an Irishman to the backbone. Sure you never
open your mouth but you put your foot in it!"

"That is what I'm always telling him, too," said her sister-in-law, whom
the laughter in the hall, renewed with such force when Mrs Gilmour, in
trying to set matters straight, made another Irish bull as big as her
brother's, had brought out of the parlour, accompanied by Nellie.
"Dugald is really incorrigible!"

"That's just what Mrs Gilmour says I am," observed the Captain, bowing
between his chuckles. "You must let me introduce myself. I don't need
anybody to introduce you, ma'am; for I'm sure from your sweet soft voice
alone that you are little missy's mother. She and I, you know, are
sworn friends!"

Mrs Strong smiled; and, if the Captain had called her voice a sweet
one, he could find no words in which to describe the light that stole
into her eyes, irradiating the face now.

"I see you can pay compliments, Captain Dresser, although you are not an
Irishman," she said pleasantly, caressing Nell, who in the joy of seeing
her mother again had never left her side. "I suppose that's the reason
this young lady has lost her heart to you?"

"You'd better be wary of him, Edith," interposed Mrs Gilmour jokingly.
"He's a terrible old flirt with all the ladies, young and old alike!
But, wouldn't you like to go upstairs and take your things off?"

"No, thanks, not till it's time for bed; and, it must be very near that
now."

"Oh, the day's yet young!" cried her hospitable hostess, leading the way
back into the parlour. "We didn't expect you before to-morrow, or next
day at the earliest; and Nell, indeed, stopped in all the morning to
finish her letter in time, so that you could get it to-night in London,
as she thought. Still, my dear, I dare say we'll be able to find you
something to eat, and your rooms