You haven't lived quite long enough to
be a match for old Peg. You'll find that out by and by. Ha, ha!
won't your worthy uncle, the baker, be puzzled to know why you don't
come home to-night?"
Meanwhile Jack, wholly unsuspicious that any trick had been played
upon him, seated himself in a rocking-chair, waiting impatiently for
the coming of Ida, whom he was resolved to carry back with him to
New York if his persuasions could effect it.
Impelled by a natural curiosity he examined, attentively, the room
in which he was seated. It was furnished moderately well; that is,
as well as the sitting-room of a family in moderate circumstances.
The floor was covered with a plain carpet. There was a sofa, a
mirror, and several chairs covered with hair-cloth were standing
stiffly at the windows. There were one or two engravings, of no
great artistic excellence, hanging against the walls. On the
centre-table were two or three books. Such was the room into which
Jack had been introduced.
Jack waited patiently for twenty minutes. Then he began to grow
impatient.
"Perhaps Ida is out," thought our hero; "but, if she is, Mrs.
Hardwick ought to come and let me know."
Another fifteen minutes passed, and still Ida came not.
"This is rather singular," thought Jack. "She can't have told Ida
that I am here, or I am sure she would rush up at once to see her
brother Jack.
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