“What do you think Mrs Capperbar asked me to do the other day?”

“I’m sure I can’t guess.”

“Why, to shell peas.”

“Well, did you oblige her?”

“Why, yes, I did; but I did not like it,—and the other day the captain sent me out to walk with the nurse and children, that I might carry Master Henry if he was tired.”

“They have observed the versatility of your genius.”

“She made me hunt the hedges for a whole morning after eggs because she was convinced that one of the hens laid astray.”

“Did you find any?”

“No; and when I came back to tell her so, she got into a rage, and threatened to make the captain flog me.”

“The devil she did!”