“True as preachin,’ sir,” replied the hunter. Then, rising, he bade good-night, saying he was used to early hours, and thought it likely the gentlemen who had been out that day would feel ready to go to bed.
At that the others followed his example, and the captain and his children went to their own rooms.
“What a funny old man that Mr. Riggs is!” remarked Lulu, laughing at the remembrance of his talk that evening. “Papa, what did he mean when he said he was going to build a condition to his house with a portfolio at the back’?”
“An addition with a portico, I suppose.”
“And he couldn’t imagine who or where the fellow was that laughed at him. Max, you did that splendidly!”
“I did it?” exclaimed Max, in astonishment so well feigned that for an instant she doubted the correctness of her surmise; though before it had almost amounted to certainty.
But the next moment she laughed merrily, saying, “Oh, you needn’t pretend innocence! for I’m sure you were the naughty fellow. Didn’t he do it well, papa?”
“Very, I thought,” replied their father, regarding his son with a proudly affectionate smile.
“Papa, shall I call you dad?” asked Lulu merrily, taking possession of his knee and putting her arm round his neck.
“No, I shall think you very disrespectful if you do. You may say either papa or father, but I shall answer to no other titles from you—unless I should, some time when you have been very naughty, forbid you to call me anything but Captain Raymond.”