“At any rate,” struck in Aunt Madge, “Fly was the one that did the most business.  You went round doing good—­didn’t you, dear?”

“Little city missionary,” said Horace.

Whereupon Miss Fly modestly dropped her head on her brother’s shoulder.  She concluded she had done something wonderful in running after a dog.

“On the whole,” continued auntie, “we’ve all had a very hard time.  It’s only three o’clock; but seems to me the day has been forty hours long.  Let us rest, now, and have a quiet little evening, and go to bed early.”

CHAPTER X.

FIVE MAKING A CALL.

The next morning everybody felt fresh, and ready for new adventures.

“All going but the cat,” said Fly, never doubting that her own company was most desirable.

“Look up in my eyes, little Topknot with the blue bonnet on.  Will you run away from brother Hollis again?”

“Not if you don’t take my skipt,” replied Fly, looking as innocent as a spring violet.

“And look up in my eyes, Horace Clifford.  Will you run away from Cousin Dotty, again?” said Miss Dimple, in a hurry to speak before Aunt Madge came up to them, and before Horace had time for a joke.

“I didn’t run away from you, young lady, but I ran after you, if I remember,” said Horace, dryly.  “I don’t mean to pursue you with my attentions to-day.  You seem to be able to take care of yourself.”

“Look,” cried Aunt Madge, coming up to them with Prudy; “did you ever before see a span of horses with a dog running between them?”

“Never,” said Doty; “what splendid horses! and don’t the dog have to trot, to keep up?  How do you suppose he happened to get in there?”

“O, he has been trained to it; dogs often are.  Now, my young friends, it seems we have started for Brooklyn again; but on our way to Fulton Ferry, I would like to stop and see the Brooks family.  We must all go together, though.  ‘United we stand, divided we fall.’”

“That’s so,” said Horace, as they entered the stage.  “But, auntie, do you have perfect faith in the story that woman tells?  Perhaps her hushand is only just lazy, and her daughter shams blindness.  You know what humbugs some of ’em are.  I’ve read there’s something they rub over their eyes, that gives ’em the appearance of being as blind as a bat.”

Prudy looked up at Horace with admiration and respect.  He spoke like a person of deep wisdom and wide experience.

“We will see for ourselves what we think of the family,” said Aunt Madge.

“Now,” said she, after they had ridden a mile or two, “we must get out here, and walk a few blocks to the house.  Fly, hold your brother’s hand tight.”

“There’s the chamer where the boy lives that says swear words; and there’s the boy, ahind the window.”

“Have a free ride, little girl?” shouted Izzy Paul, laughing; for he remembered faces as well as Fly did, and saw at once that it was the same child he had frightened so the day before.  But Fly never knew fear where Horace was; she clung to him, and peeped out boldly between her fingers.