n to a
narrower strip behind the tall yew hedge.

The grown-ups were gathered under the twin beeches; and away at the far
end of the lawn Roy's mother and Tara's mother were strolling up and
down in the sun.

Again Roy noticed how Joe Bradley stared: and as they rounded the corner
of the hedge he remarked suddenly "I say! There's that swagger ayah of
yours walking with Lady Despard. She's jolly smart, for an ayah. Did you
bring her from India? You never said you'd been there."

Roy started and went hot all over. "Well, I _have_--just on a visit. And
she's _not_ an ayah. She's my Mummy!"

Joe Bradley opened his mouth as well as his eyes, which made him look
plainer than ever.

"Golly! what a tale! White people don't have ayahs for Mothers--not in
my India. I s'pose your Pater married her out there?"

"He didn't. And I tell you she's _not_ an ayah."

Roy's low voice quivered with anger. It was as if ten thousand little
flames had come alight inside him. But you had to try and be polite to
visitors; so he added with a virtuous effort: "She's a really and truly
Princess--so there!"

But that unspeakable boy, instead of being impressed, laughed in the
rudest way.

"Don't excite, you silly kid. I'm not as green as you are. Besides--who
cares----?"

It flashed on Roy, through the blur of his bewildered rage, that perhaps
the Boy-from-India was jealous. He tried to speak. Something clutched at
his throat; but instinct told him he had a pair of hands....

To the utter amazement of Tara, and of the enemy, he silently sprang at
the bigger boy; grabbed him unscientifically by the knot of his superior
neck-tie and hit out, with more fury than precision, at cheeks and eyes
and nose----

For a few exciting seconds he had it all his own way. Then the
enemy--recovered from the first shock of surprise--spluttered wrathfully
and hit out in return. He had weight in his favour. He tried to bend Roy
backwards; and failing began to kick viciously wherever he could get at
him. It hurt rather badly and made Roy angrier than ever. In a white
heat of rage, he shook and pummelled, regardless of choking sounds and
fingers clutching at his hair....

Tara, half excited and half frightened, could only grab Prince's collar,
to keep him from rushing into the fray; and when Joe started kicking, it
was all she could do not to let him go. But she knew Athol--her dearest
brother--would say it wasn't fair play. So she tugged, and Prince
tug