Holding the child in one arm, with her head on his shoulder, he beckoned one yelling Jehu, and the man jumped to obey. “Bring up your carriage at once,” said the young man, and the fortunate candidate for public patronage darted off with amazing alacrity to execute the commission, leaving his patron standing there, with the sleeping child in his arms. The hackman had scarcely disappeared when Hanson was suddenly saluted with a startling clap on the shoulder and a—— “Hello! By Jove! Where did you come from? Dropped from the skies?” “How are you, Larkins? I’m devilish glad to see you!” exclaimed Hanson, lying as coolly as he could, under the circumstances, and extricating his right hand to offer the newcomer, a tall, young fellow, with dark hair and mustache, light, gray eyes and pug nose—making up rather a good-humored, mocking countenance, and the last man on earth Hanson would have liked to meet. “Yes, I have dropped from the skies! In other words, just returned from an infernal voyage around the Horn.” “Around the Horn! What the deuce ever took you around the Horn?” “The merchant ship _Argonaut_, a beastly old wash-trough; but it is too long a story to tell you now.” “And—hello!—what the deuce have you got there? I thought it was your duster thrown over your shoulder, but now I see it is something alive. What the mischief is it?” “You may well ask. It is an orphan child, for whom and for whose estates I have the honor to be appointed guardian and trustee.” “Holy poker! You appointed guardian of a child! Why, I should as soon think of your being consecrated bishop of New York!” “So should I,” coolly responded Hanson. “You’ll bring the boy up a spendthrift.” “It is a girl.” “A girl! Whe—ew! Pray, are you ordained nursemaid to an infant girl?” “None of your nonsense, Larkins. This responsibility was thrust upon me suddenly. I did not choose to retain the young girl who was the child’s maid. She was too pretty and vivacious.” “For the interests of propriety; I see. I didn’t know you were so very particular! But, then, I suppose, being left guardian to a child does ‘solemnize’ a man. But why didn’t you find an old woman?” “Hadn’t time to look one up.” “What are you going to do with the imp?” “‘Imp’ you may well call her,” said Hanson, wincing at his own reminiscences. “She was a deal of trouble on the journey, I dare say.” “Not in the sense I think you mean. But she utterly repudiates me as her guardian. Favored me with her opinions in very plain language. Threatened to ‘kick up a row’ if I didn’t take her back to—to——” “To whom?” “To her handsome nursemaid. But she became very tired and soon went to sleep, and since that has given me no trouble at all.” “Charming child! But, as I remarked before, what are you going to do with her?” “I should have taken her to my mother and sister; but the first news I heard on reaching my native shores was that they had left theirs.”