"It is absolutely striking, by Jove!" "We're almost twins," replied he innocently; "only, I'm ten years older!" The Captain burst into a regular roar of laughter at this; his sides shaking and his face getting so red that it seemed as if he were going to have a fit of apoplexy.
"By Jove!" he exclaimed, "you ought to be twins!" It was only then that the other perceived the slip he had made, as did his sister, and the two joined in the Captain's mirth; while Master Bob also lent his help, although witless of what the general merriment was about, the deep ho-ho-ho! of his father being even more contagious than the catching laugh of his old friend the Captain.
"Sure, Dugald, you're the same careless fellow still," cried Mrs Gilmour, as soon as she was able to get out a word.

"As me poor dear Ted used to say, you're an Irishman to the backbone.

Sure you never open your mouth but you put your foot in it!" "That is what I'm always telling him, too," said her sister-in-law, whom the laughter in the hall, renewed with such force when Mrs Gilmour, in trying to set matters straight, made another Irish bull as big as her brother's, had brought out of the parlour, accompanied by Nellie.
"Dugald is really incorrigible!" "That's just what Mrs Gilmour says I am," observed the Captain, bowing between his chuckles.

"You must let me introduce myself.

I don't need anybody to introduce you, ma'am; for I'm sure from your sweet soft voice alone that you are little missy's mother.