"But if dear Aunt Patience will only lift her anchor all will yet bewell, and the dear twins will not need to be botheblack with anything sobeastly as farm-work." His tone and manner were so like the twins thatEvelyn applauded his efforts. Then he told her the tale of the cow,and of how the twins, endeavoring to follow the example of some of theCanadians whom they had seen locking their wagon-wheels with a chainwhen going down the Souris hill, had made a slight mistake in thelocation of the chain and hobbled the oxen, with disastrous results.

When he glanced at his watch it was nine o'clock.

"I must go," he exclaimed, hastily rising; "it would hardly do for me to befound here!"

"What do you mean?" she asked in surprise.

"What do you suppose your husband would say if he came home and foundme here?"