"What, Bob! Not that girl who went running about with you, dressed up as a boy?"
As this was a portion of his adventures upon which Bob had been altogether reticent, he sat for a moment, confounded.
"Don't be ashamed of it, Bob," Mr. Bale said, with a smile, laying his hand kindly on his shoulder. "Your sister Carrie is an excellent young woman, and it is not difficult to read her thoughts in her letters. Of course, she told me about your adventure with Miss Harcourt, and she has mentioned her a good many times, since; and it did not need a great deal of discernment to see what Carrie's opinion was regarding the young lady. Carrie has her weak points--as, for example, when she took up with that wild Irishman--but she has plenty of good sense; and I am sure, by the way she wrote about this Miss Harcourt, that she must be a very charming girl; and I think, Bob, I have been looking forward almost as much, to the regiment coming home, as you have.
"Regarding you as I do, as my son, there is nothing I should like so much as having a bright, pretty daughter-in-law; so you have my hearty consent and approval, even before you ask for it.
"And you found her very nice, Bob--eh?"
"Very nice, sir," Bob said, smiling.
"And very pretty, Bob?"
"Very pretty, sir. I never thought that she would have grown up so pretty."
"And her head has not been turned by the compliments that she has, of course, received?"
"I don't think so, sir. She said her mind has been made up, ever since I brought her back to Gibraltar; so you see, the compliments did not go for much."