“What’s that, Harry?” inquired his mother, curiously.
“Oh, dat’s a se’tret ‘tween papa an’ me.”
The captain laughed heartily. “‘Ou see, mamma, I p’a’.d a big joke on papa an’ it turn out to be a joke on me; dat’s why I wants to teep it a se’tret.”
“Well, I’ll not tell, Harry; I’ll be true to you.”
“Dat’s wight, papa, I did n’t fink ‘ou’d tell.”
“Doctor Avondale will be a fellow lodger of yours at the hotel,” observed Mrs. Osborn, addressing Hugh.
“Indeed?” said Hugh, inquiringly.
“Yes, I have discussed the matter with him, and he has decided, much against the wishes of Mrs. Horton, that it would, perhaps, be more pleasant for him to stop in town.”
“Well, why did n’t you say so at once, Lucy?” asked the captain.
“Because I was kept so busy defending my friends against your unwarranted attacks.”