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 “I myself think my house is very charming, very comfortable. The stairs are so clean, so white, so even.”

“And so dull,” said Minora. “I never saw a duller house.”

“There are those who seem to think the house dull,” said the Major. “Minora, come along. We will start at once and visit these Sharps and Flats.”

The Major opened the door, and stepped outside briskly. Minora followed him, looking more cheerful than she had ever done in her life. Once in the street, however, the poor old Major looked quite bewildered. Minora was quite equal to the occasion.

“We’ll go and call on the Flats first,” she said, taking his arm. “Come across the road. We’ll look at the door-plates and go into the house which has most of those quaint-looking sixes on the plate.”

“Sixes on the plate?” murmured the Major. “Oh, I see, that door-plate has no cross-lines on it.”

“Of course not,” said Minora, “lines mean Sharps. Even I know that, and troublesome things Sharps are. Why, sometimes one of my Sharps.” then she hesitated and looked at the Major, “but I daresay you don’t notice, you never come up my staircase, do you?”

The Major was not listening to her. Minora talked so much that the Major rarely listened to her.

“Three sixes,” he said, “then that means three Flats.”

“We will go to the last house of all,” said Minora. “I believe there are five Flats living there.”

“My dear Minora,” said the Major, “how uncomfortably crowded the stairs must be. The Major, his ward, and five Flats! Why, they will scarcely be able to move.”

“Let us come and see how they manage,” said Minora, and she boldly tapped at the door.

A military gentleman opened it. He saluted promptly, and the Major bowed politely; but Minora, the doleful, dismal, grumbling Minora, began to giggle.

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