for
you to whip me; please whip me quick. I wanted to be brave, and I've
begun at the wrong end.'

'Oh, Godfrey, how could you, how could you?' faltered Betty.

'It wasn't at all difficult, Aunt Betty,' said Godfrey earnestly;
'p'r'aps that was why it wasn't brave.'

'I beg your pardon,' said the stranger, who had been standing by
unnoticed, 'but, if I might suggest, I would get this young gentleman's
wet things off, and I'm sure he'll be none the worse, and will be wiser
another time.'

Angel pulled herself together and made a grave curtsey.

'Thank you, sir, for your kindness in bringing our nephew home. He
shall come indoors and get dry at once. Godfrey, come with me,' and
she curtsied again and led Godfrey into the house. Betty was following
when Nancy rushed up to her and whispered eagerly:

'Please Miss Bet--Miss Elizabeth, the gentleman got Master Godfrey safe
out of the tub. I don't know what we should ha' done if it hadn't ha'
been for him.'

'I'll run and thank him again,' said Betty impulsively; 'what's his
name, Nance?'

'I don't know, miss; I never saw him before.'

I think p'r'aps I ought to ask him in,' said Betty,
and she followed the stranger down the lane. He turned at the sound of
her steps and took off his hat.

'I'm afraid you think us very rude, sir,' she said, with a pretty
blush, 'but we were--we were thinking very much about our nephew, you
see; he has no one but us to think for him. We are very much obliged
indeed to you, my sister and I. Will you--will you come in and have a
glass of elder wine, if you have far to go in the cold?'

'Thank you very much,' said the stranger heartily. 'I shall hope to
avail myself of your kind hospitality another day, for I am staying a
short time in Oakfield, and shall hope to see more of your nephew, who
seems to me a very fine little fellow. I must ask my friend here to
show me the shortest cut to Oakfield Place,' and he looked at the
astonished Nancy with a sly smile. 'My name is Maitland, Captain
Maitland of the _Mermaid_. Come along, little woman, and make a clean
breast of the Arctic expedition,' and he took off his hat again, gave
his hand to Nancy, who could do nothing but stare at him with her mouth
and eyes wide open, and went off down the road. It must be confessed
that Betty, though she was thirteen years old and an aunt, stared very
hard after him too, and stood by the garden gate in the darkening
winter afternoon looki