"But your aunt would make no end of a row; and you would cause your sister to lose out with Miss Octavia. As I understand it, you 're pledged to keep off the reservation. It was part of the family agreement."
"But I'm here, Chimney-pot, so what are you going to do about it?"
"Mr. Ames! If you are ghost-hunting in this part of the house"—
It was Miss Octavia's voice. She was seeking me, and would no doubt find me. The sequestration of Hezekiah became now an urgent and delicate matter.
"You caught me," said Hezekiah, calmly, "and now you've got to get me out; and I wish you good luck! And besides, I lost one of my shoes somewhere, and you've got to find that."
In proof of her statement she submitted a shoeless, brown-stockinged foot for my observation.
"The one I lost was like this," and Hezekiah thrust forth a neat tan pump, rather the worse for wear. "I was on the second floor a bit ago," she began, "and lost my slipper."
"In what mischief, pray?"
"Mr. Ames," called Miss Octavia, her voice close at hand.
"I wanted to see something in Cecilia's room; so I opened her door and walked in, that's all," Hezekiah replied.