"You said she was beautiful, before," observed Humphreys. "And now I think, if you please, we will go up to the house and see your aunts. I would like to pay my respects to them. You have a nice dog there." "Cloppy?" said Ladybird. "Yes; he is the beautifulest dog in the world." She was kneading him like a mass of dough as she spoke. "He's such a comfort! He never minds what I do to him." "And Stella, doesn't she mind what you do to her, either?" "Stella! Oh, she doesn't know what I do for her. Of course when you do things for your friends you don't tell them about it." "And doesn't Stella know that you wrote to the governor in her behalf?" "Of course _not_!" said Ladybird, with great dignity; and rising, she gathered up Cloppy, hung him over her arm and said: "Now, if you please, we will go to the house." Remarking to himself that this was certainly a jolly go, Chester Humphreys followed the picturesque figure of Ladybird as she flew through the orchards. Crossing the great sweep of lawn, they came to Primrose Hall, where, on the front veranda, sat the Misses Flint, placidly knitting. "My aunties," cried Ladybird, as she came near them, "this is a friend of mine I have brought to see you. His name is Mr. Chester Humphreys, and he lives in New York, and he came here to see me." "Chester Humphreys!" exclaimed Aunt Priscilla, rising and dropping her knitting. "Excuse me, sir, but was your mother a Stedman?" "She was," said the young man; "and my father was Chester Humphreys of Newburyport." "Then you are the son of one of my dearest girlhood friends," said Miss Priscilla, "and I am very glad to see you." Miss Dorinda fluttered about, brought a piazza chair and cushions to make their guest comfortable, while Ladybird seated herself on a cricket, took her chin in her hands, and sat gazing at the young man. "Do you know," Humphreys observed, "that, notwithstanding my interview with your small niece here, and my subsequent introduction to you, I don't even yet know the name of my hostesses?" "Flint," said Miss Priscilla. "We are the daughters of Josiah Flint." "Then," said young Humphreys, "I have always known of you; for I have heard of the Flints all my life." "Yes," said Miss Priscilla, "Esther Stedman was not one to forget her old friends. And though I have not seen her for many years, I am more than glad to welcome her son to my house." "And I," said Miss Dorinda. "But may I ask how it came about? Were you passing through Plainville? And how did you chance to meet Ladybird?" "Perhaps Ladybird would prefer to tell you that herself," said Chester Humphreys, his grave eyes looking quizzically at the child. "Why, you know, aunties," said Ladybird, "you know very well, for I've told you a hundred million times, that I wanted to find a nice, handsome young man for Stella; and so you see I wrote to the governor for one, and--and Mr. Humphreys came." "Lavinia Lovell," exclaimed Miss Priscilla Flint, "do you mean to tell me--"