isit to Sapps Court--that Aunt M'riar
said to Dave, just departing to absorb erudition at his School, that if
he should see Michael Ragstroar he might tell him she had a note for
his, Michael's, aunt at Hammersmith; and if he was a-going there Sunday,
he might just every bit as well make himself useful, and carry it and
save the postage. Dave said:--"Whoy shouldn't oy carry it?" An
aspiration crushed by Aunt M'riar with:--"Because you're seven!" So
Dave, whose nature was as docile as his eyes were blue, undertook to
deliver the message; and Michael presented himself in consequence, just
after Uncle Mo had took a turn out to see for a newspaper, for to know
some more of what was going on in the Crimaera. It was just as well
Uncle Mo had, because when it's two, you don't have to consider. If this
is obscure, Aunt M'riar, who used the phrase, is responsible, not the
story. Its opinion is, that she meant that the absence of a third person
left her freer to speak. Perhaps if Mo had been present she would merely
have handed Micky the letter directed to his aunt, which would have been
palpably no concern of Uncle Mo's, inquirin' and askin' questions.

As it was, she accompanied it with verbal instructions:--"Now you know
what you've got to do, young Micky. You've just got to give this letter
to your great-aunt Treadwell. And when she sees inside of it, she'll
find it ain't for her, but a party."

"What sort of a party, that's the p'int? Don't b'leeve my great-aunt
knows no parties. Them she knows is inside of her farmily. Nevoos,
sim'lar to myself as you might say. Or hequal value." An Academical
degree would have qualified Micky to say "or its equivalent." The
expression he used had its source in exchange transactions of turnips
and carrots and greens, anticipating varied calls for each in different
markets.

"She may know the address of the lady she'll find in this envelope. And
if she don't, all _you_ got to do is to bring the letter back."

"Suppose she don't know the address and I do, am I to tell her, or 'old
my tongue?"

"Now which do you think? I do declare you boys I never! Nor yet anyone
else! Why, if she don't know the address and you do, all you got to do
then is take the letter and leave it."

"Without any address wrote? Wery good! 'Ave it your own way, missis.
'And it over."

Aunt M'riar handed it over. But before Micky was half-way up the Court,
she called him back. "Maybe you know the party's name? Miss