When she was gone the company sat down again to business; and apple-paring went on more steadily than ever for a while, till the bottom of the barrels was seen, and the last basketful of apples was duly emptied. Then there was a general shout; the kitchen was quickly cleared, and everybody's face brightened, as much as to say, "Now for fun!" While Ellen and Nancy and Miss Fortune and Mrs. Van Brunt were running all ways with trays, pans, baskets, knives, and buckets, the fun began by Mr. Juniper Hitchcock's whistling in his dog and setting him to do various feats for the amusement of the company. There followed such a rushing, leaping, barking, laughing, and scolding, on the part of the dog and his admirers, that the room was in an uproar. He jumped over a stick; he got into a chair and sat up on two legs; he kissed the ladies' hands; he suffered an apple-paring to be laid across his nose, then threw it up with a jerk and caught it in his mouth. Nothing very remarkable certainly, but, as Miss Fortune observed to somebody, "if he had been the learned pig there couldn't ha' been more fuss made over him." Ellen stood looking on, smiling partly at the dog and his master, and partly at the antics of the company. Presently Mr. Van Brunt, bending down to her, said-- "What is the matter with your eyes?" "Nothing," said Ellen, starting--"at least nothing that's any matter, I meant." "Come here," said he, drawing her on one side; "tell me all about it--what is the matter?" "Never mind--please don't ask me, Mr. Van Brunt. I ought not to tell you--it isn't any matter." But her eyes were full again, and he still held her fast doubtfully. "_I'll_ tell you about it, Mr. Van Brunt," said Nancy, as she came past them, "you let her go, and I'll tell you by-and-by." And Ellen tried in vain afterwards to make her promise she would not. "Come, June," said Miss Jenny, "we have got enough of you and Jumper--turn him out; we are going to have the cat now. Come!--Puss, puss in the corner! go off in t'other room, will you, everybody that don't want to play. Puss, puss!"