From the tree tops below the clear warble of the purple finch proclaimed that under the fronds twilight had fallen.

At many of the Alpine huts, the snow-finch has adopted the habits of the sparrow and is often so tame that he will almost take crumbs from one's hand.

"These are two old friends o' mine, Mrs. Finch," ses old Sam, giving 'em a warning look; "Captin Dick and Captin Russet, two o' the oldest and best friends a man ever 'ad.

" "I can give you change, sir," ses Mrs. Finch.

"Fancy your reckernizing his foot," ses Mrs. Finch, coming in with the change.

Then 'e looked at Mrs. Finch, and thought wot a nice-looking woman she was.

"It's wonderful the way he manages 'em," ses Peter Russet to Mrs. Finch.

" Sam began to smile, and Mrs. Finch looked at 'im so pleased that Peter Russet, who 'ad been looking at 'er and the room, and thinking much the same way as Ginger, began to think that they was on the wrong tack.

"They will 'ave their joke," he ses, turning to Mrs. Finch and trying to smile.

" Mrs. Finch said that anybody with arf an eye could see that, and then she looked at a kettle that was singing on the 'ob.

"There's nothing like it," he ses to Mrs. Finch.

ses Mrs. Finch.

Old Sam was going to say something, but Mrs. Finch looked so pleased that 'e thought better of it.

Wot with temper and being afraid to speak for fear they should let Mrs. Finch know that 'e wasn't a captin, he could 'ardly bear 'imself, but he very near broke out when Peter Russet advised 'im to 'ave his weskit lined with red flannel.

They all stayed on till closing time, and by the time they left they 'ad made theirselves so pleasant that Mrs. Finch said she'd be pleased to see them any time they liked to look in.

It was a very nice brooch, and Mrs. Finch was so pleased with it that Ginger and Peter sat there as mad as they could be because they 'adn't thought of the same thing.

" Old Sam looked as though he'd like to eat 'im, especially as he noticed Mrs. Finch listening and pretending not to.

" Ginger Dick coughed and began to think as 'ow old Sam was sharper than he 'ad given 'im credit for, but afore he could think of anything else to say Mrs. Finch looked at old Sam and began to talk about 'is ship, and to say 'ow much she should like to see over it.

" "Oh, dear," ses Mrs. Finch, folding her 'ands and shaking her 'cad.

"It's your figger," ses Mrs. Finch, straining her eyes.

" Mrs. Finch told 'im not to talk nonsense, but both Sam and Peter Russet could see 'ow pleased she was.

" "Brown's a very nice colour," ses Mrs. Finch, wondering wot was the matter with old Sam.

With three men all courting 'er at the same time Mrs. Finch had 'er hands full, but she took to it wonderful considering.

The fust evening Sam sat expecting them every minute, and was so surprised that he couldn't take any advantage of it; but on the second, beginning by squeezing Mrs. Finch's 'and at ha'-past seven, he 'ad got best part of his arm round 'er waist by a quarter to ten.

"I didn't 'ave the pleasure o' seeing you at Mrs. Finch's to-night," he ses.