"But now, you can tell a hawk from a handsaw, eh, baggage?" chuckled Doctor John; while Doctor Jim exploded noisily, and then, checking himself, cast upon Mistress Mehitable a glance of apprehension.
But Barbara had heeded neither the rebuke nor the appeal.
"I know, I know," she went on, clapping her hands with delight. "You didn't want me to find her out,—you didn't want me to know how lovely she is! Conspirators! I won't love you any more, either of you. And I'm going to keep Aunt Hitty all to myself here; and not let you even see her; and make you both so jealous you'll wish you had let me run away in the canoe and get drowned in the rapids."
"Barbara, Barbara," murmured Mehitable.
Doctor Jim wagged his great head, and growled inarticulately.
"It's we who are the victims of conspiracy, John," said he. "If Mehitable and Barbara have discovered each other, what becomes of us, I'd like to know! But it sha'n't last. We'll sow seeds of dissension presently,—eh, what?"
"Just let us wait till Bobby Gault comes!" suggested Doctor John, with gentle malice.
Barbara's face grew grave on the instant.
"Of course, Aunt Hitty, they have told you all about Robert," she said, earnestly, "but all they know about his reasons is what he told them himself, you know. And he was determined to shield me, of course. But it was all my fault. How could he know how bad and foolish I was? I just mixed him all up; and it makes me ashamed to think how horrid I was; and I will never forgive myself. But you mustn't let them prejudice you against Robert, honey,—but just wait and see what you think of him yourself, won't you, please?"
Mistress Mehitable smiled, and exchanged looks with Doctor John and Doctor Jim.