uriosities? or precious things?"

"Might be both. How do you do, old boy?"

"Very much put out, just at present, by a notion of my mother's; she
will go to Florida to escape March winds."

"Florida! Well, Florida is a good place, when March is stalking abroad
like this. What are you put out for? I don't comprehend."

"Yes, but you see, the month will be half over before she gets ready to
be off; and what's the use? April will be here directly; she might just
as well wait here for April."

"You cannot pick oranges off the trees here in April. You forget that."

"Don't want to pick 'em anywhere. But come along, and see them at home.
They'll be awfully glad to see you."

It was not far, and talking of nothings the two strolled that way.
There was much rejoicing over Philip's return, and much curiosity
expressed as to where he had been and what he had been doing for a long
time past. Finally, Mrs. Caruthers proposed that he should go on to
Florida with them.

"Yes, do!" cried Tom. "You go, and I'll stay."

"My dear Tom!" said his mother, "I could not possibly do without you."

"Take Julia. I'll look after the house, and Dillwyn will look after
your baggage."

"And who will look after you, you silly boy?" said his sister. "You're
the worst charge of all."

"What is the matter?" Philip asked now.

"Women's notions," said Tom. "Women are always full of notions! They
can spy game at hawk's distance; only they make a mistake sometimes,
which the hawk don't, I reckon; and think they see something when there
is nothing."

"We know what we see this time," said his sister. "Philip, he's
dreadfully caught."

"Not the first time?" said Dillwyn humorously. "No danger, is there?"

"There is real danger," said Miss Julia. "He is caught with an
impossible country girl."

"Caught _by_ her? Fie, Tom! aren't you wiser?"

"That's not fair!" cried Tom hotly. "She catches nobody, nor tries it,
in the way you mean. I am not caught, either; that's more; but you
shouldn't speak in that way."

"Who is the lady? It is very plain Tom isn't caught. But where is she?"

"She is a little country girl come to see the world for the first time.
Of course she makes great eyes; and the eyes are pretty; and Tom
couldn't stand it." Miss Julia spoke laughing, yet serious.

"I should not think a little country girl would be dangerous to Tom."

"No, would you? It's vexatious, to have one's confidence in one's
brother so shaken."

"Wha