he label on a small
box. "I wonder if that was Uncle John. See! silver bells; what a sweet
tone!"

She shook a merry peal from the tiny bells. Hugh, who had been rummaging
at the other end of the cupboard, replied with a clear blast blown on a
small silver trumpet, which he now held up in triumph. "Here we are!" he
cried. "This is the instrument for me. This was presented to Captain
Hugh Montfort of the navy. What on earth could the gallant commander do
with this at sea?"

"Whistle for a wind, of course," said Margaret, merrily. "What else?
Come here and look at Grandfather Montfort's gold-bowed spectacles; they
are big enough for an ox."

So the talk went on merrily, and box after box, bag after bag, was
opened, sometimes with astonishing results. The bygone Montforts seemed
to have been fond of silver, and to have vied with one another in their
ingenious applications of it to domestic uses.

Many of the objects had historic or personal interest, and the two
cousins might have spent the day there, if Mr. Montfort had not suddenly
appeared, asking whether he was to have any dinner or not. Margaret had
her arms full by this time, while Hugh was trying his best to carry a
splendid fruit-bowl, a salver, two pitchers, and three vases, all at
once. Mr. Montfort burst out laughing at sight of the pair. "Cassim and
Ali Baba!" he cried. "And I, the Robber Captain, with not a single one
of all the Forty Thieves at my back. Margaret, for charity's sake! you
are not going to bring all that rubbish into the house? Isn't there
enough already? I'm sorry I told you anything about it."

Margaret looked up, guilty but happy, from her effort at capturing a
fourth vase with her little finger, the only one left unencumbered.
"Dear Uncle, you never would be so cruel!" she said. "See! I have only
taken one chocolate-pot, and there are five, such beauties! Yes, I know
we don't drink chocolate, but some of our guests might, and you would
not have me neglect the guests, would you, Uncle John?"

"Sooner than have a guest take his chocolate from a china pot," said Mr.
Montfort, gravely, "I would go to the stake. At present, if you will
pardon a very old joke, my dear Margaret, I should prefer to go to the
beefsteak, which I have reason to think is on the table at this moment.
Come out, both of you young thieves, and let Inigo Jones go in again!"

CHAPTER VII.

MORE ARRIVALS

The great day came, the day of the arrivals. Jean was