ry!"

"At what?"

"At your impertinence!"

"I was not impertinent."

"You were."

"I was right."

"You were not."

"And the proof is, that you are going to do something wrong now," said
Ralph, laughing.

"What, sir?"

"I mean, you _think_ you are going to?"

"What! for goodness gracious sake!"

"Cross that log!"

"I certainly am going to," said Fanny, putting her foot upon it.

"You certainly are _not_."

"Who will prevent me?"

"I will, my heart's dear," said Ralph, snatching Miss Fanny up in his
arms, and rapidly passing across with his burden; "nothing easier! By
Jove, there goes your slipper!"

In fact, just at the middle of the log, the ribbon, binding the
slipper to Miss Fanny's ankle, had broken--probably on account of her
struggles--and the luckless slipper had fallen into the stream. It
was now scudding along like a Lilliputian boat, the huge rosettes of
crimson ribbon standing out like sails.

Ralph burst into a roar of laughter, from which he was instantly
diverted by a rousing slap upon the cheek, administered by the hand of
Fanny, who cried out at his audacity.

"Cousins, you know!--we are cousins, darling; but what a tremendous
strength of arm you have!"

"Try it again, sir!" said Miss Fanny, pouting, and pulling down her
sleeve, which had mounted to her shoulder in the passage.

"Never!" cried Ralph; "I am fully conscious of my improper conduct. I
blush to think of it--that is to say, my left cheek does!"

"Served you right!" said Fanny.

"Uncharitable!"

"Impudent!"

"Unfortunate!"

With which retort, Mr. Ralph Ashley pointed to the slipper-less foot,
which was visible beneath Miss Fanny's skirt, and laughed.

Ralph would then have made immediate pursuit of the slipper, but Verty
detained him.

The young man called Longears, pointed out the rosetted boat to that
intelligent serviteur, and then turned to the company.

In two minutes Longears returned, panting, with the slipper in his
dripping mouth, from which it was transferred to the foot of its
mistress, with merry laughter for accompaniment.

This little incident was the subject of much amusing comment to the
party--in which Miss Fanny took her share. She had soon recovered her
good-humor, and now laughed as loudly as the loudest. At one moment
she certainly did blush, however--that is to say, when, in ascending
the hill--Verty and Redbud being before--Mr. Ralph referred to the
delight he had experienced when