very nicely; and you must buy a new glass shade, Joseph. Ah, my
precious!"

This was to Nap, who, in reply to her tender speech, made three or four
bounds to get to me, but aunt caught him by the ear and held him with
the skin of his face pulled sidewise, so that he seemed to be winking at
me as he lolled out his thin red tongue, and uttered a low whine.

"But mind this, I will not have any mess made indoors."

As she spoke my aunt stooped down and took Nap in her arms, soiling her
handsome silk dress a good deal with the dog's dirty feet. Then she
walked away saying endearing things to Nap, who only whined and
struggled to get away in the most ungrateful fashion; while my uncle
took off his glasses, drew a long breath, and said as he wiped his face
with his red silk handkerchief:

"I was afraid she was going to be very cross, my boy. She's such a good
woman, your dear aunt, my boy, and I'm very proud of her; but she does
upset me so when she is cross."

"I was all of a fidge, uncle," I said laughing.

"So was I, Nat, so was I. But don't laugh, my boy. It is too serious a
thing for smiles. It always puts me in such a dreadful perspiration,
Nat, for I don't like to be angry too. Never be angry with a woman when
you grow up, Nat, my boy; women, you see, belong to the weaker sex."

"Yes, uncle," I said wonderingly; and then he began to beam and smile
again, and rubbed his hands together softly as he looked at our work.

"But you will have to put Polly together again, Nat," he said at last.

"Put her together again, uncle!" I said in dismay. "Why, it's like
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall--all the king's horses and all the king's
men--"

"Couldn't put Humpty Dumpty together again," said my uncle quite
seriously. "But we must put Polly together again, Natty. There's your
aunt, you know."

"Yes, uncle, there's Aunt Sophia," I said ruefully; "but the feathers
are all out of the skin, and the skin's all in pieces. I'm afraid she
will never look decent, try how I may."

My uncle rubbed his head softly.

"It does look as if it would be a terrible job, Nat," he said; "but it
must be done, and I'm afraid if you made her look as well as she did
when we found her, your aunt wouldn't be satisfied."

"I'm sure I couldn't make her look as well as she did then, uncle," I
replied despairingly; "but I'll try."

"Yes, do, my boy. That's right, try. And look here, Nat--I'll help
you."

I was very glad to hear U