sed soul destined!"

"She dances, too, I suppose you know that," continued Mr. Dodge, who
finding his popularity a little on the wane, had joined the meeting
himself, a few weeks before, and who did not fail to manifest the
zeal of a new convert.

"Dances!" repeated Mrs. Abbott, in holy horror.

"Real fi diddle de di!" echoed Captain Truck.

"Just so," put in the commodore; "I have seen it with my own eyes.
But, Mrs. Abbott, I feel bound to tell you that your own daughter--"

"Biansy-Alzumy-Anne!" exclaimed the mother in alarm.

"Just so; my-aunty-all-suit-me-anne, if that is her name. Do you
know, ma'am, that I have seen your own blessed daughter, my-aunty-
Anne, do a worse thing, even, than dancing!"

"Commodore, you are awful! What _could_ a child of mine do that
is worse than dancing?"

"Why, ma'am, if you _will_ hear all, it is my duty to tell you.
I saw aunty-Anne (the commodore was really ignorant of the girl's
name) jump a skipping-rope, yesterday morning, between the hours of
seven and eight. As I hope ever to see the sogdollager, again, ma'am,
I did!"

"And do you this as bad as dancing?"

"Much worse, ma'am, to my notion. It is jumping about without music,
and without any grace, either, particularly as it was performed by
my-aunty-Anne."

"You are given to light jokes. Jumping the skipping-rope is not
forbidden in the bible."

"Just so; nor is dancing, if I know any thing about it; nor, for that
matter, cards."

"But waste of time is; a sinful waste of time; and evil-passions, and
all unrighteousness."

"Just so. My-aunty-Anne was going to the pump for water--I dare say
you sent her--and she was misspending her time; and as for evil
passions, she did not enjoy the hop, until she and your neighbour's
daughter had pulled each other's hair for the rope, as if they had
been two she-dragons. Take my word for it, ma'am, it wanted for
nothing to make it sin of the purest water, but a cracked fiddle."

While the commodore was holding Mrs. Abbott at bay, in this manner,
Captain Truck, who had given him a wink to that effect, was employed
in playing off a practical joke at the expense of the widow. It was
one of the standing amusements of these worthies, who had gotten to
be sworn friends and constant associates, after they had caught as
many fish as they wished, to retire to the favourite spring, light,
the one his cigar, the other his pipe, mix their grog, and then
relieve their ennui, when tired