of weapons were ranged--queer swords and
daggers with gold and mother-of-pearl on their hilts, a ship's cutlass,
several scimitars, and the strangest guns and pistols. Chicken Little
was fascinated with the frightful array. A huge bearskin lay on the
floor among strange, beautifully colored rugs, which reminded her of her
mother's India shawl. Rugs where queer stiff little men and animals that
looked as if a child had drawn them, wandered about among curlicues and
odd geometrical patterns. A tiger-skin, head and dangling claws
distressingly lifelike, hung in the middle of one wall. She was
spell-bound for a few minutes with the strangeness of it all.

Her host seemed to enjoy her wonder. He explained most patiently a great
compass set on a tripod in one corner. After she had roamed and gazed to
her heart's content, he opened the locked cabinets, and let her take
miniature ebony elephants from Siam into her hands. He had her look
through a reading glass at intricate ivory carvings, so tiny, it did not
seem that human fingers could ever have wrought them. There were boxes
of sandalwood and ugly heathen idols with leering faces. The drawers
were crowded with prints and embroideries. The Captain pulled one out
that had girl's things in it. She caught a glimpse of a spangled scarf,
and fans and laces, even gay-colored beads. But he shut this drawer
hastily. She did not have time to wonder much about this incident just
then, but she thought about it a good deal afterwards. The things looked
quite new as if they had never been used.

Chicken Little had natural taste and had read more than most girls of
her age. She handled the Captain's curios reverently, drinking in
eagerly his explanations and the strange tales of where he had found
these wonders.

So absorbed were they both, that the shadows were lengthening before
Captain Clarke realized the afternoon was slipping away, and that home
folk might be disturbed if he kept his young guest too long. Chicken
Little was distressed too.

"Oh, I'm afraid Father and Mother will get home before I do. They'll be
awfully worried!"

"You mustn't try to go back through the woods. They are too dense to be
a very safe route for a child, and it would be dark before you could
reach home. I'll have one of the men hitch up, and I'll drive you over."

Chicken Little commenced to fidget. It would not make her coming
scolding any lighter, if her parents learned that the Captain had felt
in