he made a dramatic
entry, and fell breathlessly in his grandma's arm-chair near the
fireplace. The usual occupant glared at him in astonishment and
demanded "a explanation," which came immediately, but not from Andrew.
Instead there was a loud and imperative knocking at a side door, and
when Carry, after cursing the white ants which had made the door hard
to open by throwing it out of plumb with their ravages, at last got
it open, there appeared an irate old man carrying a stout stick. It
was plain that he too had been running,--in short, was in pursuit of
Andrew, who had quite collapsed in the chair.

"I've come, missus, to warn you to keep your boy out of my orange
orchard," he gulped. "Six or seven times I've nearly caught him an'
young Bray in it, but to-night I run 'em down, an' only they escaped
me I'd have give 'em the father of a skelpin'. If I ketch them there
again I'll bring 'em before the court an' give 'em three months; but
you being a neebur, I'd like to give you a show of keepin' him out
first."

The old dame, _a la_ herself, had been in the act of pouring milk and
sprinkling sugar on some boiled rice which frequently appeared on the
menu during Carry's week in the kitchen, previous to handing it to
Miss Flipp, but she waved her hand, thereby indicating that in so dire
an extremity we were to be trusted with the sugar-basin ourselves,--in
fact, that any laxity in this item would have to be let slide for
once.

After the manner of finely-strung temperaments with the steel in them,
which wear so well, and to the last remain as sensitive as a youth or
maiden, Mrs Martha Clay then rose from her seat, visibly trembling,
but with a flashing battle-light in her eyes.

"What have you got to say to this?" she demanded, turning on her
grandson.

"I never touched none of his bloomin' old oranges. It was Jack Bray,
it wasn't me."

"Yes," said she; "and if you was listening to Jack Bray it would be
you done it all, an' he who never done nothink. What's the charge, and
what damages have you laid on it?" she demanded of the accuser,
fixing him with a fiery glance.

"I ain't goin' to lay any damages this time, I only thought you'd
rather me warn you than not; I know I would with a youngster. I
suppose after all he ain't done no more than you an' me done in our
young days, an' my oranges bein' ripe so extra early was a great
temptation," familiarly said the man.

"Well, I don't know what _you_ done in your yo