“Well, my boy?” said the latter.
“General Garnet, if you have any notion of taking Nettie away from here, just look out for her and the old lady, who has had the care of her so long, and never mind me. I can take care of myself. Nettie, darlin’, never stop for me; I know what to do with myself. And now, general, as long as I am talking to you, I must tell you I don’t believe one word about Dr. Hardcastle’s being a worthless man, because I know he is a good and great man; nor do I believe one word of Miss Elsie’s breaking her mother’s heart, because—because I know she is as good as she is beautiful. You needn’t be angry. I should have hated myself if I hadn’t spoke out!” exclaimed the boy, his frank, brave spirit flashing boldly from his eyes.
But the words had scarcely left the lips of Hugh before Nettie had jumped to her feet, and administered a sound box on the ear to him, exclaiming:
“Now! take that! Now, you make godfather out to be a story-teller again!” And having given her sharp little lesson, Nettie sprung back to her seat, and threw her arms again around his neck. General Garnet, without seeming to have seen her action, regarded the boy with a sort of gentle, dignified surprise and leisurely scorn, merely saying:
“Why, you impertinent young dog!”
Nettie sprang down a second time. General Garnet gently attempted to restrain her, but she dashed his hands away, exclaiming:
“Let me alone, godfather. You are wicked and ugly, and I hate you. He’s not an impudent young dog at all! he is my dear, gentle brother Hugh,” she said, throwing herself about the neck of the boy, who folded his arms around her.
“You must please to excuse Nettie, sir; indeed she is the wildest, queerest child that ever was born. But then, you know, she was wild and queer before ever I took her in hand,” said Miss Joe, who was all this time busy with a saucepan over the fire; and a pitcher, a bowl, and some eggs, sugar, and spices on a chair by her side.
“Nettie seems to have very little self-control or any other sort of control,” dryly observed the general.
“Now if you aint mad long o’ granny. Just as if it was her fault. And she making you mulled cider, too, to keep the cold out of your stomach. And taking the top-knot hen’s eggs, too, that she was saving to set, because they’re a first-rate breed of hens, that lay eggs all the winter, and she wants more of them. And she had but six eggs, and now she’s taken three to make you mulled cider to keep the cold from striking to your stomach; and you to get mad long o’ her, and cut her up short for nothing. Never mind him, granny. I’ll speak right up for you, and take your part,” said Nettie, with her arms still clasped around Hugh’s neck, looking at her guardian, who was regarding her with a smile of mingled amusement and condescending toleration.