“So you are! Bless my heart, how the time goes! Well, get what you please; if I'm to have a young lady here, I'd like to have her prettily dressed. It won't offend Miss Bat, will it?”
Molly's eyes sparkled, but she gave a little shrug as she answered, “She won't care. She never troubles herself about me if I let her alone.
“Hey? what? Not trouble herself? If she doesn't, who does?” and Mr. Bemis sat up as if this discovery was more surprising than the other.
“I take care of myself and Boo, and she looks after you. The house goes any way.”
“I should think so! I nearly broke my neck over the parlor sofa in the hall to-night. What is it there for?”
Molly laughed. “That's the joke, sir, Miss Bat is cleaning house, and I'm sure it needs cleaning, for it is years since it was properly done. I thought you might have told her to.”
“I've said nothing. Don't like house-cleaning well enough to suggest it. I did think the hall was rather dirty when I dropped my coat and took it up covered with lint. Is she going to upset the whole place?” asked Mr. Bemis, looking alarmed at the prospect.
“I hope so, for I really am ashamed when people come, to have them see the dust and cobwebs, and old carpets and dirty windows,” said Molly, with a sigh, though she never had cared a bit till lately.
“Why don't you dust round a little, then? No time to spare from the books and play?”
“I tried, father, but Miss Bat didn't like it, and it was too hard for me alone. If things were once in nice order, I think I could keep them so; for I do want to be neat, and I'm learning as fast as I can.”