en. His eyes were
red, and it was with difficulty that he controlled his voice.

"My dears," he began, taking Myra by the hand and clasping it between his
palms, "my poor dears, a blow indeed! a terrible blow! Your uncle--dear
me, I believe you have never met! Let me present you to your uncle,
Mr. Samuel, and your cousin, Master Calvin Rosewarne. These are the
children, Mr. Samuel--Miss Myra and Master Clem--and, as I was saying, I
sent a trap to fetch them home with all speed."

The man in black shook hands with the children gloomily. Myra noted that
his whiskers were black and straggling, and that, though his upper lip was
long, it did not hide his prominent yellow teeth. As for the boy, he
shook hands as if Under protest, and fell at once to staring hard at Clem.
He had a pasty-white face, which looked the unhealthier for being
surmounted by a natty velveteen cap with a patent-leather up-and-down
peak, and he wore a black overcoat, like a minister's, knickerbockers,
grey woollen stockings, and spring-side boots, the tags of which he had
neglected to turn in.

"You sent for them?" asked Mr. Samuel sourly as he shook hands, turning a
fishy eye upon Mr. Benny. "Why did you send for them?"

"Eh?" stammered Mr. Benny. "Their poor grandfather, Mr. Samuel! I could
not have forgiven myself. It was, after telegraphing to you, my first
thought."

"I can't see with what object you sent for them," persisted Mr. Samuel,
and pulled at his ragged whiskers. "Were they--er--away on a visit?
staying with friends? If so, I should have thought they were much better
left till after the funeral."

He shifted his gaze from Mr. Benny and fixed it on Myra, who flushed
hotly. What right had this Mr. Samuel to be interfering and taking
charge?

"We were not staying with friends," she answered, "or paying any visit.
Clem and I have never slept away from home in our lives. We have been
across the bay with the rafts--that's all; and Aunt Hannah gave Us leave."

He ignored her display of temper. "You've been let run wild, you two, I
daresay," he replied, in a tone almost rallying. "I guess you have had
matters pretty much your own way."

Poor Myra! This was the first whole holiday she and Clem had ever taken.
But how could she tell him? She gulped down her tears--she was glad he
had turned away without perceiving them--clutched Clem's hand in silence,
and followed down to the boat, which Uncle Vro was bringing alongside