"Will you help yourself to the toast, Ephraim?" said Mrs. Oakley, in a quick, sharp tone, for she didn't fancy the idea of her brother's paying so much attention to John.
"Thank you, Jane. If it is as nice as your tea, I shall want to help myself more than once. But you were always a good house-keeper."
Mrs. Oakley did not relish this allusion, for she would like to have had everybody forget that she had been a professional house-keeper. She thought her brother was succeeding admirably in making himself disagreeable, and determined that he should not long remain her guest, if she could conveniently get rid of him. But Mr. Huxter had not penetration enough to see that he was displeasing his sister, and continued, his mouth being full of toast:—
"Mr. Oakley must be near your Benjamin's age, Jane."
"I'm almost two years older," said Ben, who had so few points of superiority that he might well claim this.
"Indeed, I shouldn't have thought it," said his uncle; "but then Mr. Oakley is very well grown for his age."
"I don't know that Ben is deficient in that way," said Mrs. Oakley, coldly.
"Oh, no, of course not; I didn't mean to hint such a thing. The boys must be a good deal of company for each other."
"You're mistaken there," said Ben, shortly.