Tell me, what's Bart like ?" "A little like Captain Nat, his father," answered Jane, ignoring Lucy's last inference, "not so stout and--" "What's he doing ?" "Nothin', darlin', that's any good," broke in Martha from behind the two.

"He's sailin' a boat when he ain't playin' cards or scarin' everybody down to the beach with his gun, or shyin' things at Meg." "Don't you mind anything Martha says, Lucy," interrupted Jane in a defensive tone.

"He's got a great many very good qualities; he has no mother and the captain has never looked after him.

It's a great wonder that he is not worse than he is." She knew Martha had spoken the truth, but she still hoped that her influence might help him, and then again, she never liked to hear even her acquaintances criticised.
"Playing cards! That all ?" exclaimed Lucy, arching her eyebrows; her sister's excuses for the delinquent evidently made no impression on her.

"I don't think playing cards is very bad; and I don't blame him for throwing anything he could lay his hands on at this little wretch of Martha's.