u what I found in Algiers," returned Faith quickly, keeping a
firm hold on the little captive, who was now hidden beneath her lace
scarf.

"You found? Have you been buying me a present, girlie?" laughed her
father with eager interest.

"Why, n--no, not exactly," stammered Faith, somewhat taken aback, and
growing decidedly warm in her efforts to keep the beast quiet. "Only
I--"

"What's the matter with your hands? Can't you keep 'em still under
that gauze thing?" asked her father suspiciously, while Hope, expectant
and amused, looked on with dancing eyes.

"Yes only--oh! Hope, I can't hold him, he scratches so--a-auch!" and
in spite of herself she dropped the spunky mite which, like a streak of
lightning, dashed across the room and up Captain Hosmer's leg, into his
coat pocket. The yard of twine, still attached to him, hung outside,
and the astonished man, seeing only the streak and the string, sprang
up with a shout of dismay.

"A snake!" he cried. "A _snake_! What are you doing with a snake?"

Hope, in a paroxysm, fell back upon the window seat, Faith, between
laughter and dismay, tried to explain, and poor little Monsieur Siege,
nearly scared out of his wits, darted from the inhospitable pocket up
the chair-back, then leaped to the top of the window, where, feeling
secure, he hung himself up to the curtain-rod by his tail, and
proceeded to scold, like a perfect virago.

The captain looked at him, glanced down at his pocket saw the "snake"
had gone, but thumping it once or twice to make sure turned upon Faith,
his face red and puckered, yet with a gleam of fun in his eye that
detracted from the fierceness of his mien.

"You little greenhorn! Have you been buying a nasty monkey?" he
thundered.

"Oh, papa! I'm sorry if you're not pleased. I thought, now poor Hafiz
is dead--and Hope has Texas--oh see, see! Ha, ha! I _must_ laugh.
Isn't that the cutest thing you ever saw?"

For the shriveled witch, taking in the whole scene, had drawn himself
up as nearly like the captain as possible and with one wee fist doubled
up, was thumping his own little hams, an exact imitation of the man's
gesture. In spite of himself, Captain Hosmer burst into laughter, Hope
fairly rolled, and Faith, relieved and delighted, let the merry peals
ring out, till Tegeloo, busy with some duty just outside, shook his
little fat sides, and showed all his ivories in sympathy.

Faith and her pet had won the day, and when her fath