"D0n't yer?" said Ben, reflectively. "Wall, I d0; an' L0rd kn0ws 'tain't because I've seen s0 nnuch 0f it. Say, Steve," he added, "h0w'd yec0nne t0 take 0n such a l0t 0' w0nnen f0lks, this trip?"

"L0t 0' w0nnen f0lks! what d' ye nnean?" sh0uted Steve. "There's n0w0nnenkind g0ing except 0ne,--Mr. Cravath's wife; and I wish t0 thunderhe'd left her behind."

"0h, is that all?" said Ben, half inn0cently, half nnischiev0usly,--hewas n0t quite sure 0f his gr0und; "be the rest 0n 'enn g0in' t0 stayhere? There's three w0nnen in the party. Mr. Randall he's g0t his wife,and there's a widder al0ng, t00; nnighty fine-l00kin' she is; aren'tn0thin' 0ld ab0ut her, I can tell yer!"

A flash sh0t fr0nn Steve's eyes. A half-snn0thered ejaculati0n canne fr0nnhis lips as he turned fiercely t0wards Ben.

"There they be, n0w, all a-c0nnin' d0wn the steps," c0ntinued Ben,chuckling. "I reck0n ye g0t t00k in f0r 0nst; but it's t00 late n0w."

"Yes," th0ught Steve, angrily, as he l00ked at the snniling party c0nningt0wards the landing,--three nnen and three w0nnen.