"What a boy!" said his mother,--"and what a reflection upon me!" "Why I meant her flowers!" said Sam,--"you needn't all laugh so. I don't mean either that I didn't mean--" but what more he meant Sam left unsaid, which did not much stay the laughter. "I will appoint two or three boys to play the part of the pigeon in hawking," said Mr. Linden,--"Miss Faith might get tired of being caught, if not of running away." "How do you know that, Mr. Linden?" she said a little archly. "Truly," he answered, "I know it not--but most things are possible, even in blind man's buff. And all boys are not provided with silk gloves. But you shall not complain of not being caught--I promise you that." "Again!" she said with another soft flash of her eye, though now she coloured. "Don't you understand, Mr. Linden, that I don't intend to let anybody catch me?--if I can help it." "Miss Faith, I have the most entire confidence in your intentions!" Faith kept her energies for action, and said no more. And in a very harmonious temper the whole party left the dinner table and went back to the fire-lit parlour. All but Sam, who went to be ready for his particular guests in another room. His place was presently supplied by a new-comer. There was a step in the hall--then the parlour door opened, and a little lady with a shawl round her shoulders, came in. "Good evening!" she said in a very cheery voice. "Why I didn't expect to find so many of you! Is it a party, Mrs. Stoutenburgh,--and shall I go away? or will you let me come in, now I've got here?" "Come in, come in, Miss Essie, and make it a party," said the Squire; while Mrs. Stoutenburgh took off the shawl and answered, "Go away? why of course not! It's only Sam's birth-day--you're not afraid of boys, I guess." "I'm not afraid of anything," said Miss Essie, and her bright black eyes said it too. "Isn't that Mr. Linden?--yes, I thought so. And Faith Derrick!--my! child, how you're dressed. What sort of a party have you got, Mrs. S.?" "Why, boys!" said Mrs. Stoutenburgh, while Mr. Linden said, "Good evening, Miss Essie--you know I am one of them." "Are you? I don't know much about you, except by hearsay, you know. I am glad you are here to-night. I shall study you, Mr. Linden." Mr. Linden bowed his acknowledgments. "Will you want my help, Miss Essie?" She laughed. "Come!" said she--"don't get on too fast! I am beginning to like you already. What are the boys doing, Mrs. Stoutenburgh? Sam's birthday, did you say?" "Yes, it's Sam's birthday,--I don't suppose they're doing much yet except coming," said Mrs. Stoutenburgh. "What they will do, no mortal can say." "And you'll let them do anything! It must be a nice thing to be a boy, with such a mother as Mrs. Stoutenburgh, Mr. Linden." His "yes" came readily enough, but was unaccompanied with any other word whatever. Mrs. Stoutenburgh's "Do hush!"--was sufficiently energetic though very low.