“Man, Tam, ye’re a born gowk--and it’s a’ havers--and here am I wasting guid daylicht listening to you. An it had been night, I might hae bidden to gie ye your answer--but me, that’s a responsible man, and under authority--hout awa’ wi’ ye!” With which triumphant conclusion John Brown strode forth to the market. “Oh, Hope! isn’t he a great bear, that John?” exclaimed Victoria Fendie. “Adelaide asked mamma to let us come, and mamma never will do anything at first that we want; but we coaxed her, and then when she said we might go, we had to ask John Brown to take us--to ask John Brown, indeed!--only think of ladies asking a servant! and mamma would not order him to do it. I know what I will do--I’ll get some of Alick’s powder and put it in the snuffers, and then I’ll ask John to come and snuff the candles for me.” “Very well, Victoria,” said Hope, “I’ll tell John to-day.” “Oh, goodness, Adelaide, only listen--how ill-natured she is! I don’t care--I’ll do something; it’s a great shame of mamma to make us ask John Brown.” “Hope,” said Adelaide, “the new governess is coming to-morrow, and mamma says you’re to come up and see her.” “Mamma only said she might come if she liked,” interposed Victoria. Adelaide paused to deliberate upon an answer. “If I did not like to come sometimes to see Adelaide, Adelaide would not ask me,” said Hope. “But, Hope,” said Adelaide, lifting her large dull blue eyes, “it’s the new governess you’re to come to see.” “Well, I know that; but I shall see you too, shall I not?” “Yes,” repeated the obtuse Adelaide; “but you’re to come to see the new governess, mamma says.” Hope was seized with one of her fits of impatience. Why would Adelaide be so stupid? “Shan’t we tease her!” exclaimed Victoria, triumphantly. “Fred says he won’t learn his lessons to a woman, and I won’t learn any lessons at all, if I can help it, and mamma won’t let me if I have a head-ache. Do you ever have any head-aches, Hope?” “No,” said Hope, stoutly, “head-aches! Miss Mansfield used to have them at school--you mind, Adelaide? but it’s a great shame, and Miss Swinton says girls have no right to have head-aches.” “Oh, Hope! ‘you _mind_.’ Mamma would whip me if I said ‘you mind.’” “_My_ mother would not,” said the resolute Hope, “and mind is a far better word than remember or recollect. It’s only one syllable, and--it’s our own tongue, and it’s a very good word.” “I think so too,” said Adelaide, with an unwonted exertion, “because when a word’s short it’s easier said.” Adelaide’s sentence terminated abruptly in a peal of malicious laughter from Victoria. “Well,” said the elder sister, with some faint flush of anger, “I am sure Miss Swinton used to say so--and you’ve no right to laugh, Victoria--I’ll tell mamma.” “I don’t care,” was the response; “mamma is not so well pleased when you always talk about that stupid governess--you know that.”