Dan was making his way up the lane from the road in the same ridiculous fashion which he appeared to think necessary a detective should employ, and Joe was positive aunt Dorcas would be seriously alarmed, if she saw Master Fernald indulging in such antics. "Go out, Plums, an' make that bloomin' idjut keep away," he whispered to his comrade. "I won't have him dancin' 'round here in that style, an' if he does very much more of it I'll tell aunt Dorcas the whole story. I'd rather be arrested ten times over than have her scared 'most to death." It was evident this was not a mission which pleased Master Plummer, for he feared to incur the anger of one who professed to be so powerful, and he asked, tremulously: "S'posin' he says the same thing he did this forenoon?" "Tell him to go back to the city, or I'll make it my business to send a reg'lar detective here to fix things up." "If he gets mad, Joe, there's no knowin' what he might do." "He sha'n't stay 'round here, an' that settles it; tell him I said so, an' I mean it." Plums stole softly out of the kitchen, but aunt Dorcas was so intent on her thoughts that he might have made very much noise without attracting her attention. Looking through the window, Joe could see Plums as he performed his mission, and, judging from the gestures in which the amateur detective indulged, it was quite evident he was displeased at receiving such a command. After conversing together a short time, the two climbed over the fence, and disappeared in the orchard, going, as Joe believed, towards the barn. The threat had failed of immediate effect, and there came into Joe's mind the thought that it was necessary he go out to make it more emphatic, when aunt Dorcas, having finished the work in hand, seated herself by the boy's side as if for a chat. "Where is George?" she asked, and Joe looked about him in astonishment, not recognising the name for an instant. Then, finally understanding to whom she referred, he explained that Plums had gone out for a few moments, and proposed to summon him. "There is no need of that, for it is with you I want to talk. I've been thinking about that little child, Joseph, and wondering what you could do with her. You said the German woman had promised to keep her only a week." "Yes, aunt Dorcas, and I was in hopes by that time I could go back to New York." "What will you do to-morrow, after you have seen her?" "Jest hang 'round, I s'pose. I've got to go, 'cause I promised, an' then, ag'in, it ain't right to leave the princess alone so long. I don't know but what she's frettin'." "How old is she, Joseph?" "Not more'n six or seven years; but she can't talk." "Then she must be much younger than you think." "Well, perhaps she ain't more'n a year old; I don't know much about kids, anyhow."