The mite, in whose little bosom maternal feelings had been excited, insisted on carrying her child.

The consequence was that at about the third step they rolled over one another, and to spectators at a little distance it was hard to say which was the parent and which the offspring.

Them the strapping lass in charge seized roughly, and at the risk of dislocating their little limbs, tossed into the air and caught, one on each of her own robust arms, and carried them off stupidly irritated--for want of a grain of humor--at the good-natured laugh this caused, and looking as if she would like to knock their little heads together.
Under cover of this an old man in a broad hat, and seemingly infirm, crept slowly by and looked keenly at Hope, but made no application.

Only while taking stock of Hope his eyes flashed wickedly, and much too brightly for so old a man as he appeared.

He did not go far; he got behind a tree, and watched the premises.