Lulu and Eva brought up the rear, carrying the parrot and Gracie’s kitten.

Maud and Sydney made the circuit of the room, the one crying, “Apples and Oranges! buy any apples and oranges?” the other asking, “Want any pins to-day? needles, buttons, shoe-strings?”

“No,” said Grandma Rose, “Have you nothing else to offer?”

“No, ma’am, this is my whole stock in trade,” replied Sydney.

“I laid in a fresh stock of fruit this morning, ma’am, and it’s good enough for anybody,” sniffed Maud, with indignant air.

“Do you call that a musket, sir?” asked Chester of Frank.

“No, sir; I called it the stock of one.”

“Lulu and Eva, why bring those creatures in here?” asked Herbert, elevating his eyebrows as in astonishment.

“Because they’re our live stock,” replied Lulu.

Now Frank began to play the part of a clown or buffoon, acting in a very silly and stupid manner, while the others looked on laughing and pointing their fingers at him in derision.

“Frank, can’t you behave yourself?” exclaimed Maud.  “It mortifies me to see you making yourself the laughing-stock of the whole company.”

“Laughing-stock—­laughing-stock,” said several voices among the spectators, the captain adding, “Very well done indeed!”

“Thank you, sir,” said Harold.  “If the company are not tired we will give them one more.”

“Let us have it,” said his grandfather.

Some of the girls now joined the spectators, while Harold drew out a little stand, and he, Chester, and Herbert seated themselves about it with paper and pencils before them, assuming a very business-like air.

Frank had stepped out to the hall.  In a minute or two he returned and walked up to the others, hat in hand.

Bowing low, but awkwardly, “You’re the school committee I understand, gents?” he remarked inquiringly.

“Yes,” said Harold, “and we want a teacher for the school at Sharon.  Have you come to apply for the situation?”

“Yes, sir; I heered tell ye was wantin’ a superior kind o’ male man to take the school fer the winter, and bein’ as I was out o’ a job, I thought I mout as well try my hand at that as enny thin’ else.”

“Take a seat and let us inquire into your qualifications,” said Herbert, waving his hand in the direction of a vacant chair.  “But first tell us your name and where you are from.”

“My name, sir, is Peter Bones, and I come from the town o’ Hardtack in the next county; jest beyant the hill yander.  I’ve a good eddication o’ me own, too, though I never rubbed my back agin a college,” remarked the applicant, sitting down and tilting his chair back on its hind legs, retaining his balance by holding on to the one occupied by Herbert.  “I kin spell the spellin’ book right straight through, sir, from kiver to kiver.”

“But spelling is not the only branch to be taught in the Sharon school,” said Chester.  “What else do you know.”