In Missy's bedroom much talking was being done by Arabella. Her curiosity was insatiable, but she herself never gave it a chance. She wanted to know this, but before there was time for an answer she must know that. One thing, when the trunk was unpacked and its contents put away in drawers, she was left entirely unable to understand; and that was, how Missy came to have everything brand-new.
"Why, because everything was spoilt," said Missy, in apparent wonder at the other's wonderment.
"Didn't I tell you? We'd left the window open, and in comes a green sea and half fills the cabin. The captain, he was ever so wild, and, oh my! didn't he give it us! Of course, all our things were spoilt--me and the other girls. We finished the voyage in borrowed everything, and in borrowed everything I came here the other day. Did you think them things were mine? Not much, my dear. Not much! But I was forced to have things of my own before I could come out here and stay."
Arabella, sitting on the bed, studied the tall figure with arms akimbo that struck sharp through the dusk against the square-paned window. She was wondering whether the Olivers were such well-to-do people after all. Her own English was not perfect, but her ear was better than her tongue, and the young ladies in the _Family Cherub_ spoke not at all as Missy spoke. Arabella's next question seemed irrelevant.
"Did you see much society at home, Missy?"
"You bet I did!" was the answer, and the fuzzy head was nodding against the window.
"Real high society, like you read about in tales, Missy?"
"Mean it? What do _you_ mean? Look here, I won't tell you no more if you think I'm telling lies."
"Missy, I never thought of such a thing--never!" Arabella hastened to aver. "I was only surprised, that's all I was.'Tisn't likely I meant to doubt your word."
"Didn't you? That's all right, then. Why, bless your heart, do you think it so wonderful to know a few lords?"
"I didn't think they were as common as all that," said Arabella, meekly.
"Common as mud," cried Missy grandly. "Why, you can't swing a cat without knocking a lord's topper off--not in England!"
Arabella laughed. Then her questions ceased for the time being, and Missy was curious to know how she had impressed a rather tiresome interlocutor, for now in the bedroom it was impossible for them to see each other's faces. A few minutes later Missy was satisfied on this point. At the supper-table she had no more attentive listener than Arabella, who watched her in the lamplight as one who has merely read watches another who has seen and done, while Missy rattled on more freely than she had done yet before Mrs. Teesdale. Even Mrs. Teesdale was made to smile this time, though she did her best to conceal it. The visitor was in such racy form.