r Horace."

"She's a woman that understands what a boy is worth," thought Horace,
very much flattered. "Tell you what, I never saw a more sensible person
than Mrs. Pragoff."

"Now, dears, shall we go to Stewart's?"

"O, no'm; please don't," cried Dotty. "Because," added she, checking
herself, "their curtains are all down; and don't you s'spose Mr.
Stewart and the clerks have gone off somewhere?"

Mrs. Pragoff laughed, but, concluding the child was very tired, proposed
going home; and, to Dotty's great joy, they started at once.

"I shall so grieve to part with you!" said Mrs. Pragoff, as they went
along. "I wish you were mine to keep, every soul of you."

But Dotty noticed that while she spoke she was looking at Prudy.

CHAPTER XI.

THE JEWEL CABINET.

Alas for the diamond and the ruby rings! New York is "a city of
magnificent distances," and by the time the children were safely at
home, there was a great stir through the house. Colonel Allen and wife
had come. Too late now to think of hunting for anything.

"Where are my little folks?" rang Uncle Augustus's cheery voice through
the hall; and in he came, not looking ill in the least. His eyes were as
black as ever, and he carried just as much flesh on his tall, large
frame. Somehow, he cheered one's heart like an open fire. So did Aunt
Madge. There wasn't so much of her in size, but there was what you might
call a "warm tone" over her whole face, which made you think of sunshine
and fair weather. So in walked "an open fire" and a "ray of sunshine,"
and "took off their things." Of course there were laughing and kissing;
and Fly, without being requested, hugged Uncle 'Gustus like a little
"grizzle."

"Sorry I cried so 'bout you bein' sick. Didn't 'spect you'd get well."

"Beg pardon for disappointing you. How many tears, did you waste, little
Crocodile? Why, children, you're as welcome, all of you, as crocuses in
spring. But no; it's you who should bid _us_ welcome. I understand you
are keeping house, and auntie and I have come visiting?"

"O, no, no, no," cried Prudy; "we've got all over that; and I tell you,
auntie, now you've come home, I feel as if an elephant had rolled right
off my heart."

"Why, I hope nothing serious has happened," said Mrs. Allen, looking at
the pile of nutshells Fly had just dropped on the carpet, and at Dotty's
cloak, which lay beside Horace's cap on the piano-stool.

"Yes'm, there is sumpin happened," spoke up Fly fro