it gave her great pleasure to have them
about the house. Her home life had been very lonely since Jimmy went
away, so the shouting of the scouts and their merry laughter brought
back other days.

She had just completed frosting a number of doughnuts, and had them all
heaped upon a large plate, when the kitchen door was suddenly thrust
open, and Miss Arabella burst into the room. Though the morning was
very warm, a thick shawl enwrapped her shoulders, and she wore a heavy
winter dress. Her eyes were wide with fright, and she was trembling so
violently that she was forced to sink into the nearest chair.

"Why, Miss Arabella!" Mrs. Britt exclaimed, "are you sick? You must
lie down at once."

"No, no, I'm not sick," and the visitor flapped her hands in despair.
"But your husband, Mrs. Britt, your husband, oh, oh!"

"What's the matter with him?" Mrs. Britt enquired, while her face
turned suddenly pale. "Has anything happened to him? Tell me quick."

"Yes, I'm afraid so. It's awful. I didn't know he was that way. Has
he been troubled long? You should take him away at once. I always
knew he was queer, but I had no idea he was so bad."

"Will you please tell me what is the matter?" Mrs. Britt demanded. "I
don't understand you. Joshua was all right a few minutes ago."

"Was he?" and Miss Arabella looked her surprise. "But you should see
him now. He's out there in front of the house waving his arms up and
down just like this," and the visitor, forgetting her weakness, leaped
to her feet and imitated what she had seen the captain doing. "He was
looking up at the window," she continued, "and saying things I could
not understand. It sounded as if he was going over his letters, and
every once in awhile he would clasp his hands before him like this, and
cry 'brute.' Oh, it is terrible!"

Mrs. Britt gave a deep sigh of relief, while an amused twinkle shone in
her eyes.

"Sit down, Miss Arabella," she ordered. "There is nothing wrong with
Joshua. He is practising signalling, that's all. Whyn is helping him
from her window. He has to teach the scouts this afternoon, and is
brushing up a little. You see, every time he moves his arms he makes a
letter. The alphabet is divided into groups, and at the end of each
group he stops swinging his arms, and clasps his hands before him
before making the next group. That is what Joshua must have been doing
which frightened you so much."

"Oh, dear me!" and Miss A