nd an ebony
writing-desk, with silver-mounted crystal standishes; each of
these--boxes and desk--was filled with all things requisite in the
several departments. And now as Capitola unpacked them and arranged them
upon the top of her bureau, it was with no small degree of appreciation.
The rest of the forenoon was spent in arranging the best articles of her
wardrobe in her bureau drawers.

Having locked the remainder in her trunks and carefully smoothed her
hair, and dressed herself in a brown merino, she went down-stairs and
sought out Mrs. Condiment, whom she found in the housekeeper's little
room, and to whom she said:

"Now, Mrs. Condiment, if uncle has any needlework wanted to be done, any
buttons to be sewed on, or anything of that kind, just let me have it;
I've got a beautiful work-box, and I'm just dying to use it."

"My dear Miss Black----"

"Please to call me Capitola, or even Cap. I never was called Miss Black
in my life until I came here, and I don't like it at all!"

"Well, then, my dear Miss Cap, I wish you would wait till to-morrow, for
I just came in here in a great hurry to get a glass of brandy out of the
cupboard to put in the sauce for the plum-pudding, as dinner will be on
the table in ten minutes."

With a shrug of her little shoulders, Capitola left the housekeeper's
room and hurried through the central front hall and out at the front
door, to look about and breathe the fresh air for a while.

As she stepped upon the front piazza she saw Major Warfield walking up
the steep lawn, followed by Wool, leading a pretty mottled iron-gray
pony, with a side-saddle on his back.

"Ah, I'm glad you're down, Cap! Come! look at this pretty pony! he is
good for nothing as a working horse, and is too light to carry my
weight, and so I intend to give him to you! You must learn to ride,"
said the old man, coming up the steps.

"Give him to me! I learn to ride! Oh, uncle! Oh, uncle! I shall go
perfectly crazy with joy!" exclaimed Cap, dancing and clapping her hands
with delight.

"Oh, well, a tumble or two in learning will bring you back to your
senses, I reckon!"

"Oh, uncle! oh, uncle! When shall I begin?"

"You shall take your first tumble immediately after dinner, when, being
well filled, you will not be so brittle and apt to break in falling!"

"Oh, uncle! I shall not fall! I feel I shan't! I feel I've a natural
gift for holding on!"

"Come, come; get in! get in! I want my dinner!" said Old H