h at her purtiest.
Ever been here before, any of you?"

Miss Greatorex's propriety began to return. A sure sign, Mrs. Hungerford
thought, that she was feeling better; and she watched in secret
amusement the sudden stiffening of the angular figure and the
compression of the thin lips as the "instructress" looked fixedly out of
the carriage window and vouchsafed no other reply.

But Aunt Lu always adapted herself to the habits of any country of the
many she had visited and replied, with an eagerness that was
half-mischievous and for Miss Isobel's benefit:

"No, indeed! and we're anxious to see and learn everything new. So
please point out anything of note, and thank you."

"Hmm. I should suppose there could be nothing 'of note' in a place like
this," murmured Miss Isobel, severely, as she scornfully observed the
dingy streets and dwellings of that neighborhood.

But the hackman was gratified by Mrs. Hungerford's interest and a chance
for his own garrulity, and promptly informed them:

"'Tain't never fair to judge no town by its water-front. Course not.
Stands to reason that shipyards and docks and sailorses' saloons ain't
laid out for beauty. But just you wait till we get up the hill a speck
and then you'll see somethin' worth seein'. True. There ain't a nicer
town in the whole Province o' Novy Scoshy 'an Ya'mouth is. Now we're a
gettin'. _Now!_ See there?"

"Ah! how lovely!" "Oh! Auntie Lu!" "Oh! my heart, my heart! If only
darling Father John could see that hedge? What is it, Auntie Lu, can you
tell?" cried Dorothy in rapture; for, indeed, the hedges of this old
town by the sea are famous everywhere the name of Yarmouth is heard.

The driver didn't wait for Mrs. Hungerford to reply, even if she could
have done so. He received every question and exclamation as personal and
proudly answered:

"Ha'tho'n, them are, this side. Then yonder is spruce. And our gardens!
If you women-folks love posies as most females does, you'd ought to be
here a spell later. Roses ain't out yet but cherries is in flower."

"Roses not in bloom? Why, they're past it with us!" responded Auntie Lu,
surprised.

"Hmm, ma'am. And where might that be, if I c'n make so bold?"

"The vicinity of New York, I was recalling."

"Hmm. Exactly. A poor kind of country, New York is, even though they do
call it the 'Empire State' and try to bolster up its failin's with a lot
of fine talk. Now our Province o' Novy Scoshy, and this Ya'mouth, don't
ne