"Nor I husbands with any woman," laughed Lucilla. "I took this man for better or for worse, but there's no worse about it."
A merry laugh from little Elsie turned all eyes upon her. Tiny was curled up on her shoulder, his hazel eyes fixed inquiringly upon her face and one of his fingers gently laid upon her lips.
"I think your Tiny is wanting to learn to talk," her father said. "He seems to be trying to see how you do it."
"Oh, do you think he can learn, papa?" she asked, in eager tones. "I don't see why monkeys shouldn't talk as well as parrots."
"I do not, either, my child; I only know that they do not."
At that instant Tiny lifted his head and turned his eyes upon the Captain, and some words seemed to come rapidly and in rather an indignant tone from his lips. "I can talk and I will when I want to. My little mistress is very kind and good to me, and I'm growing very fond of her."
Everybody laughed and Elsie said, "I wish it were really his talk. But I know it was Cousin Ronald who spoke."
"Ah, little cousin, how much fun you miss by knowing too much," laughed Mr. Lilburn.
Then Ned's Tee-tee seemed to speak. "You needn't make a fuss over my brother. I can talk quite as well as he can."