JACK SHORT AGAIN. 
187 
choice; but she advised them to put paper 
covers on the hooks, and offered to do it her¬ 
self, as she was remarkably neat in all such 
matters. Richard demurred a little. 
“It will look as if we were afraid he 
would spoil them.” 
“[Never mind if it does,” said Annie. 
“Just tell him that you covered them so 
that they need not get injured so easily. 
And, besides, I really think it will be an 
improvement to them,—especially to the 
‘northern Regions.’ ” 
Jack was sitting up in bed, busy with his 
knife as before; hut, for a wonder, his mother 
was with him. His eyes sparkled at the sight 
of the neat brown-paper covers, and still more 
at the pictures. Mrs. Short, on the contrary, 
looked a little annoyed. “I don’t see what 
you are going to do with all these hooks, 
Jack,” she remarked, “except make your 
head ache and use up your sister’s time read¬ 
ing to you. People that are reading forever 
never do any thing else they ought to.” 
“I don’t know about that, mother,” said 
Jack. “It seems to me as if they did.” 
“ Ho doubt you know more about it than 
any one else,” said Mrs. Short, peevishly; 
