l Mrs.
Pennypoker had left the room, and sent Allie up to comfort her baby
brother with repeated assurances that mamma would come by and by.

Two days before this, Mrs. Burnam had received a note from her husband,
saying that a fall from his horse had bruised and strained him a little,
and that it seemed best for him to stay a few days at a small country
hotel, not far from his camp. In reality, it was only a slight affair;
but Mrs. Burnam had felt so uneasy that she had resolved to go to him,
to be at hand in case he might need any of the little attentions which
it would be hard for him to get, in the small town where he was left.
Since Victor would be only an additional care, she had decided not to
take him with her; but, remembering the emergency which had arisen
during her last absence, she had begged Mrs. Pennypoker to take charge
of the household for the time that she was away from home.

This arrangement had not met with the entire approval of the young
people, it must be confessed; for Howard and Allie had hoped to be
allowed to pose as heads of the house, while Victor had lifted up his
voice in vigorous protest against the intruder. However, until Victor's
rebellion, the second night, there had been no open outbreak, although
there was an undercurrent of antagonism between Mrs. Pennypoker and the
children, which threatened an explosion at any moment. It was a new
experience for Howard and Allie to have their fun and laughter
repressed, and they were far from being ready to submit to it with a
good grace; while Janey had promptly ranged herself upon their side, and
manifested a monkey-like ingenuity in planning the pranks which were
making Mrs. Pennypoker's frown grow deeper at every moment.

"Just look at Janey!" Howard had whispered to his sister, as the maid
came in at dinner-time, with the strings of her dainty white cap tied
under her chin, and the point standing up from her forehead like an old
woman's poke bonnet.

Mrs. Pennypoker caught the whisper. Putting on her glasses, she turned
to glare at Janey, who received her stare with an unmoved countenance.

"Jane," she said, with crushing dignity; "go back to the kitchen, and
arrange your cap properly."

And Janey went, but it was not until she had given the two boys a look
which upset their gravity and forced them to retire behind their
napkins. She was gone for some moments, and when she reappeared her cap
was drawn far down over her face, and she c