at a pretty mouth! And so you shall know."

"You're the best auntie!"

Two white arms went around Mrs. Calvert's neck and the pouting face
was wreathed in smiles.

"But not now," concluded Aunt Betty.

"Oh!"

The disappointed tone made Aunt Betty smile, and she winked slyly at
Jim, as she observed:

"Isn't it wonderful what a lot of interest a simple little sentence
will arouse?"

"I've never yet met a girl who wasn't overburdened with
curiosity--and I s'pose I never shall," was Jim's response. "It's the
way they're built. Aunt Betty, and I reckon there's no help for it.
Not changing the subject, but how do I reach my room?"

"Ephy will show you. It's the big room on the east side. Everything
is ready for you. When you have washed and freshened up a bit you may
join Dorothy and I on the lawn."

"Very good; but don't wait for me. I may decide to take a snooze, and
when I snooze I'm very uncertain. Traveling always did tire me out."

Ephraim, with Jim's suit case, led the way up the broad stairs of the
Calvert mansion, the boy following.

"Heah we is, sah," said the colored man, after a moment. He paused to
throw open the massive door of a room. "Dis yeah room am de very
bestest dis place affords. Youse mighty lucky, Mistah Jim, tuh be
relegated tuh de guest chambah, en I takes dis ercasion to
congratulate yo'."

"Thank you, Ephy. But, being a guest, why should I not have the guest
chamber?" and Jim's eyes roamed admiringly over the old-fashioned but
richly-furnished apartment.

"No reason 'tall, sah--no reason 'tall. I hain't sayin' nuffin'. But
dis suah am er fine room."

The suit case was resting on the floor by the wardrobe, and Ephraim
was carefully unpacking the boy's clothes, and putting them in their
proper places, while Jim, glad to be rid of his coat, which he termed
"excess baggage," was soon puffing and blowing in a huge bowl of
water, from where he went for a plunge in the tub.

"Lordy, Mistah Jim," the colored man chuckled, following him to the
door of the bathroom, "hit suah looks as though yo' was a darkey, en
all de black had washed off."

"That's some of the smoke and cinders acquired during our journey
from Canada. Don't forget that you have them on you, too, Ephy, only,
being as black as ink, they don't show up so well."

"Yas'r, yas'r, I reckon dat's right." Old Ephraim continued to
chuckle at frequent intervals. "Yo' suah is er great boy, Mistah
Jim!"

"Thank you, Ephy."