Cap took them and scrutinized them so attentively that Old Hurricane
burst out into a loud laugh, exclaiming: "You'll dream of house-breakers to-night, Cap!" and taking the tools,
he put them all back in the little canvas bag, and put the bag up on a
high shelf of the parlor closet.
The next morning, while Cap was arranging flowers on the parlor
mantelpiece, Old Hurricane burst in upon her with his hands full of
letters and newspapers, and his heart full of exultation--throwing up
his hat and cutting an alarming caper for a man of his age, he
exclaimed: "Hurrah, Cap! Hurrah! Peace is at last proclaimed and our victorious
troops are on their way home! It's all in the newspapers, and here are
letters from Herbert, dated from New Orleans! Here are letters for you,
and here are some for me! I have not opened them yet! Hurrah, Cap!
Hurrah!"
"Hurrah, Uncle! Hurrah!" cried Cap, tossing up her flowers and rushing
into his arms.
"Don't squeeze me into an apoplexy, you little bear," said Old
Hurricane, turning purple in the face, from the savage hug of Cap's
joyful arms. "Come along and sit down with me, at this table, and let
us see what the letters have brought us."
They took their seats opposite each other at a small table, and Old
Hurricane threw the whole mail between them, and began to pick out the
letters.
"That's for you, Cap. This is for me," he said, pitching out two in the
handwriting of Herbert Greyson.
Cap opened hers and commenced reading. It was in fact Herbert's first
downright, practical proposal of marriage, in which he begged that
their union might take place as soon as he should return, and that as
he had written to his uncle by the same mail, upon another subject,
which he did not wish to mix up with his own marriage, she would, upon
a proper opportunity, let her uncle know of their plans.
"Upon my word, he takes my consent very coolly as a matter of course,
and even forces upon me the disagreeable duty of asking myself of my
own uncle! Who ever heard of such proceedings? If he were not coming
home from the wars, I declare I should get angry; but I won't get upon
my dignity with Herbert--dear, darling, sweet Herbert. If it were
anybody else, shouldn't they know the difference between their liege
lady and Tom Trotter? However, as it's Herbert, here goes! Now, I
suppose the best way to ask myself of uncle, for Herbert, will be just
to hand him over this letter. The dear knows it isn't so over and above
affectionate that I should hesitate. Uncle," said Cap, pulling Old
Hurricane's coat sleeve.