Reginald said she was pretending to be
burglars, but I think she's going 'paddling.' Are you, auntie ?"
"No, dear; not this morning," answered Lisbeth, shaking her head.
"Then you are going for a row in Uncle Dick's boat. How fine!"
"An' you'll take us with you, won't you, Uncle Dick?" cried the Imp
eagerly. "We'll be pirates. I'll be 'Scarlet Sam,' an' you can be
'Timothy Bone, the bo'sun,' like you were last time.
"Impossible, my Imp," I said firmly. He looked at me incredulously
for a moment, then, seeing I meant it, his lip began to quiver.
"I didn't think "T-Timothy B-Bone' would ever desert me," he said,
and turned away.
"Oh, auntie!" exclaimed Dorothy, "won't you take us?"
"Dear - not this morning."
"Are you going far, then, Uncle Dick ?"
"Yes, very far," I answered, glancing uneasily from the Imp's
drooping figure to Lisbeth,
"I wonder where ?"
"Oh - well - er - down the rivers" I stammered, quite at a loss.
"Y-e-s, but where ?" persisted Dorothy.
"Well. to - er - to - "
"To the 'Land of Heart's Delight,'" Lisbeth put in, "and you may
come with us, after all, if Uncle Dick will take you,"
"To be sure he will, if your auntie wishes it," I cried, "so step
aboard, my hearties, and lively!" In a moment the Imp's hand was
in mine, and he was smiling up at me with wet lashes.
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