Then a brilliant idea seized her.

“If he was a girl, we could give him some of our dresses.”

“But he isn’t,” said matter-of-fact Priscilla.

“Or if we were men,” continued Sophia, with another brilliant idea.

“But we are not.”

“Just so,” assented her sister, now brought to the end of her suggestions.

By this time Andy was in the house, holding his cap in one hand, and his carpetbag in the other.

“Do you feel tired?” asked Priscilla.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Then, perhaps you would like to go to bed?”

“I would, if it’s just the same to you, ma’am.”

“Very well, follow me, and I will show you your room.  Sophia, perhaps you had better come, too.”

They went up the front stairs.  The house proper had two rooms on the lower floor, and the two chambers over them.  But there was, besides, an extension behind, used as a kitchen, and over this was the room which had been used by John, the former servant.

“This is your room, Andrew,” said Miss Priscilla.  “Sophia, will you lift the latch?”

The door being opened, revealed a small chamber, with the ceiling partly sloping.  There were two windows.  It was very plainly furnished, but looked very comfortable.  Andy glanced about him with a look of satisfaction.  It was considerably more attractive than the bed in the attic which he had occupied at the house of the farmer for whom he had last worked.

“We’ve put the feather bed at the bottom, as it’s summer,” said Miss Priscilla.

“All right, ma’am.”

“There’s one thing you’ve forgotten, Priscilla,” suggested Sophia.

“What is that?”

“The gun.”

“Oh, yes.  I am glad you reminded me of it.  Andrew, can you fire off a gun?”

“Yes, ma’am,” said Andrew, glibly.

He had never done it, but he had seen a gun fired, and always wanted to make a trial himself.

“As you are the only menfolks in the house, we should expect you to fire at any robbers that tried to enter the house.”

“Do you expect any, ma’am?” asked Andy, eagerly.

“No; but some might come.  Of course, we cannot fire guns—­it would be improper, as we are ladies.”

“Just so,” interrupted Sophia.

“So we shall leave that to you.  Do you think you would dare to?”

“Would I dare, is it?” asked Andy.  “Shure, I’d be glad of the chance.”

“I see you are brave.  I’ll show you the gun now.”

She went to the closet in the corner of the room, and pointed out a big, unwieldy musket to Andy.  It was in the corner.

“Is it loaded, ma’am?” he asked.

“Yes; it has been loaded for a year or more.  John never had occasion to use it, and I hope you won’t.  If any robber should come,” added the kind-hearted spinster, “perhaps you had better only shoot him in the arm, and not kill him.”