"Ye—es," answered Prudence doubtfully, "it will be a little strange. But do as you wish about it, Augusta; you know best. By the way, did you remark that the bottle is cracked?"
"Cracked? No!" cried Miss Semaphore with a little shriek of dismay, and rushing to her sister's side.
Cracked it undoubtedly was.
"It must have been Toutou in the train," she gasped." I was afraid of it at the time. Oh! the naughty, naughty dog. Do be careful, Prudence. Put it down softly. She said it was to be kept carefully corked."
"Oh, the crack is very slight; it does not matter," said Miss Prudence, as she obeyed. "Toutou, my precious," to the tricksy little dog that was now rolling on the floor, playing with the fringe of the curtains, and trying many long-forgotten games. "Toutou, you nearly did serious damage to your missus's property, naughty ducksie wucksie."
Toutou rushed at her with enthusiasm, and was with difficulty persuaded to enter his basket. Then Miss Prudence, with a portentous yawn, bade her sister good-night, and opened the door into the adjoining room.
