" On the stair-way he was met by Kinch and
Caddy, who were tugging up a large kettle of water. "Is it possible,
Caddy," asked Mr. Walters, "that your propensity to dabble in soap and
water has overcome you even at this critical time? You certainly can't be
going to scrub?"
"No, I'm not going to scrub," she replied, "nor do anything like it. We've
got our plans, haven't we, Kinch?"
"Let's hear what your plans are. I'd like to be enlightened a little, if
convenient," said Mr. Walters.
"Well, it's _not_ convenient, Mr. Walters, so you need not expect to hear a
word about them. You'd only laugh if we were to tell you, so we're going to
keep it to ourselves, ain't we, Kinch?"
The latter, thus appealed to, put on an air of profound mystery, and
intimated that if they were permitted to pursue the even tenor of their
way, great results might be expected; but if they were balked in their
designs, he could not answer for the consequences.
"You and Esther have your plans," resumed Caddy, "and we have ours. We
don't believe in powder and shot, and don't want anything to do with guns;
for my part I'm afraid of them, so please let us go by--do, now, that's a
good soul!"
"You seem to forget that I'm the commander of this fortress," said Mr.
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