you keep them from making so much noise,
Eric?"

"Quiet then, young 'uns," said Eric. "Can't you see that the Prime
Minister of her Royal Highness has uttered a mandate?"

The children laughed noisily, and at that moment Miss Nelson, who had
been absorbed over the contents of a particularly interesting letter,
raised her head with a start.

"Gently, little ones! What is all this noise about?" she said. "Molly
and Dick, you must have breakfast with nurse, if you can't behave
better in the schoolroom. Good-morning, Ermengarde, my dear. I am
sorry I shall be obliged to give you a bad mark for being late at
breakfast. Why, my dear child," changing her note to one of concern,
"what has happened to you? You have got quite an ugly scar your
forehead. How did you get it?"

"I fell," said Ermengarde, in a low voice.

"You fell--where?"

Ermengarde felt that Basil had ceased to use his knife and fork, while
he listened for her reply. She seized a cup of scalding tea, and
choked over its contents.

"Where did you fall my dear?" asked the governess kindly.

"Please, ma'am, Ermengarde and Maggie had a stand-up fight in the
middle of the night," interrupted Eric. "Oh, my stars!" he added,
_sotto voce_, "if fight and night ain't a rhyme made unbeknown. Now I
can wish."

"Shut up!" growled Basil.

"Eric, be quiet," said the governess.

She turned again to Ermengarde. Her manner was very gentle.

"Where did you fall, dear?" she said, "You have given yourself a very
nasty cut, and should have come to me for some dressing for it. But
where did it happen, my love?"

"In the park," said Ermengarde, in a low voice. "I fell over a bramble
and cut myself."

"I never saw you fall, Ermie," said Marjorie. "Was it when we all had
that race, just when the fireworks were over? How brave of you not to
make a fuss! it must have been then."

"You don't look well, dear," continued the governess. "Your eyes have
red rings round them, and you are paler than such a healthy little
girl ought to be. Have you a headache?"

"Yes," confessed Ermengarde. She could at least be truthful here, for
her head ached considerably.

"You shall have some of my eau de Cologne to use if you like,
darling," whispered Marjorie.

"Now, children," said Miss Nelson, rising from the breakfast-table,
and making one of those prim little speeches which Ermengarde
detested, "having had our day of pleasure, we will return with greater
zest to our usual emplo