'What's a marmoset?' said the miller.

'O, a little kind of monkey. They bite strangers rather hard, but you'll
soon get used to 'em.'

'They are wrapped up in something, I declare,' said Mrs. Garland, peeping
in through a chink.

'Yes, that's my flannel shirt,' said Bob apologetically. 'They suffer
terribly from cold in this climate, poor things! and I had nothing better
to give them. Well, now, in this next box I've got things of different
sorts.'

The latter was a regular seaman's chest, and out of it he produced shells
of many sizes and colours, carved ivories, queer little caskets, gorgeous
feathers, and several silk handkerchiefs, which articles were spread out
upon all the available tables and chairs till the house began to look
like a bazaar.

'What a lovely shawl!' exclaimed Widow Garland, in her interest
forestalling the regular exhibition by looking into the box at what was
coming.

'O yes,' said the mate, pulling out a couple of the most bewitching
shawls that eyes ever saw. 'One of these I am going to give to that
young lady I am shortly to be married to, you know, Mrs. Garland. Has
father told you about it? Matilda Johnson, of Southampton, that's her
name.'

'Yes, we know all about it,' said the widow.

'Well, I shall give one of these shawls to her--because, of course, I
ought to.'

'Of course,' said she.

'But the other one I've got no use for at all; and,' he continued,
looking round, 'will you have it, Miss Anne? You refused the parrot, and
you ought not to refuse this.'

'Thank you,' said Anne calmly, but much distressed; 'but really I don't
want it, and couldn't take it.'

'But do have it!' said Bob in hurt tones, Mrs. Garland being all the
while on tenter-hooks lest Anne should persist in her absurd refusal.

'Why, there's another reason why you ought to!' said he, his face
lighting up with recollections. 'It never came into my head till this
moment that I used to be your beau in a humble sort of way. Faith, so I
did, and we used to meet at places sometimes, didn't we--that is, when
you were not too proud; and once I gave you, or somebody else, a bit of
my hair in fun.'

'It was somebody else,' said Anne quickly.

'Ah, perhaps it was,' said Bob innocently. 'But it was you I used to
meet, or try to, I am sure. Well, I've never thought of that boyish time
for years till this minute! I am sure you ought to accept some one gift,
dear, out of compliment to those old time