You know as well as I do that
you wouldn't have a spider hurt for torturing a fly."

Every one laughed with him except Mrs. Orban herself. Her tender
heart was as good as a fable in the household. But she said quite
gravely,--

"You have chosen a bad example for once, Jack. A spider is as
ignorant as a heathen. It has only its own nature to follow."

"Got the worst of it there, Mr. Orban," said Bob in an amused tone.

"Talking of cruelty," remarked Miss Chase, "what do you do to your
unfortunate cows here at night? I never heard such a dismal noise
as they make."

"Cows!" exclaimed every one in astonishment.

"Yes, cows," was the answer. "If you listen you can hear them now."

There was an instant hush, followed by renewed peals of laughter.

"Those aren't cows I advise you to go and sympathize with, Miss
Chase," said Bob. "We call them alligators hereabouts, and at the
present minute they are lying on the banks of the creek wishing a
nice, tasty supper would come strolling along."

"There are alligators in the river, and yet Nesta says you boat on
it and bathe in it!" exclaimed Miss Chase. "What extraordinary
people you are!"

"There are alligators one side of the bar and sharks the other, and
one often upsets going over it in rough weather," said Bob
cheerfully.

"How horrible!" said Miss Chase.

"When Aunt Dorothy saw a tarantula strolling round the table
towards her the other day she nearly had a fit," said Peter.

"Don't tell tales out of school, Peter Perky," said Aunt Dorothy.
"A poor, ignorant Englishwoman isn't expected to be brave when she
sees a spider as big as a penny bun, with furry legs in proportion,
trying to sit on her knee."

"Then, so far, Miss Chase," said Bob, with a twinkle in his eyes,
"you are not infatuated with our Bush life?"

"Have you and Eustace given me much chance to be?" she asked. "You
must confess you did not give me a very good first impression by
both running away and losing yourselves. We don't think that sort
of thing necessary for the entertainment of our friends in England.
Spiders are spiders there, too, not animated penny buns, and our
cows don't want to eat us."

"Oh, of course," said Bob, "everything is perfect in England--isn't
it, Nesta?"

"It has some advantages," said Mrs. Orban. "I think the absence of
these excitements is amongst them."

She was looking very worn out after her recent experiences.

"Well, it's my opinion, my dear," said Mr. Orb