“Go home and live ’long o’ you! Um-m-m-me—no! I had rather you’d come and live ’long o’ me.” “Why?” “’Cause I don’t want to leave granny; she wouldn’t have anybody to hug her up and keep her back warm at night.” “But if we were to take granny with us, too?” “Um-m—me. Could you take Hugh along, too?” asked the child, with the astute air of one making a shrewd bargain. “No,” very decidedly answered General Garnet; adding, in a lower tone, “No more childish friendships ripening into mature love.” “Very well, then, godfather, if you love me, you’ll have to come and live ’long of us; for I can’t go home ’long o’ you.” “Why not, pray?” “’Cause, godfather, how could Hugh live here by himself?” “Well, little ‘Martha,’ anxious and troubled about many things, Hugh need not live here by himself. Suppose I was to get a situation for Hugh?” “A what?” “Suppose I were to put Hugh in the way of getting an honest living?” “La, godfather, no white men about here except niggers ever get an honest living, and I can’t let you black Hugh’s face and crisp his hair—that’s black enough already—and make a nigger of him!” “You silly child, you will let me make a lawyer, or a doctor, or a parson of him, won’t you?” Before Nettie could answer Hugh Hutton came up, cap in hand, and stood facing General Garnet. “Well, my boy?” said the latter. “General Garnet, if you have any notion of taking Nettie away from here, just look out for her and the old lady, who has had the care of her so long, and never mind me. I can take care of myself. Nettie, darlin’, never stop for me; I know what to do with myself. And now, general, as long as I am talking to you, I must tell you I don’t believe one word about Dr. Hardcastle’s being a worthless man, because I know he is a good and great man; nor do I believe one word of Miss Elsie’s breaking her mother’s heart, because—because I know she is as good as she is beautiful. You needn’t be angry. I should have hated myself if I hadn’t spoke out!” exclaimed the boy, his frank, brave spirit flashing boldly from his eyes. But the words had scarcely left the lips of Hugh before Nettie had jumped to her feet, and administered a sound box on the ear to him, exclaiming: “Now! take that! Now, you make godfather out to be a story-teller again!” And having given her sharp little lesson, Nettie sprung back to her seat, and threw her arms again around his neck. General Garnet, without seeming to have seen her action, regarded the boy with a sort of gentle, dignified surprise and leisurely scorn, merely saying: “Why, you impertinent young dog!” Nettie sprang down a second time. General Garnet gently attempted to restrain her, but she dashed his hands away, exclaiming: “Let me alone, godfather. You are wicked and ugly, and I hate you. He’s not an impudent young dog at all! he is my dear, gentle brother Hugh,” she said, throwing herself about the neck of the boy, who folded his arms around her.