at least
to the Frere children, for it was their Mother's voice calling them.

"Nell-ly! Nell-ly! Will-ie! Will! where are you?" it said.

They looked at each other.

"It's Mamma," said Willie.

"What can have made her come out so soon?" said Helena. "She was going
to wait till the other ladies came to tea, and then she said she and
Sybil would stroll out with them, and see what we were doing in the
garden. But I never thought they'd come down here--we scarcely ever do,
'cos Nurse thinks we'll fall into the water."

Nurse's fears were not without reason, were they?

"We mustn't be seen like this," said Freda, "that's certain. Let's
crouch in here quite quietly for a minute or two, till they're out of
the way--don't speak or anything. Hush! perhaps we can hear their
voices."

Hiding from Mamma was a new experience to Helena and her brothers, and
they did not like the feeling of it. But just now there was nothing else
to do, and Freda had taken it all into her own hands. So they did as she
said.

[Illustration]

No sound of voices reached them for some moments, but they heard
footsteps overhead. Several people were crossing the bridge. "Goodness
gracious," said Freda, in a whisper, "we've only just hidden ourselves
in time. Do come closer, and don't speak, whatever you do," though no
one had been speaking but herself.

Then the steps stopped, and a faint murmur was heard, but not loud
enough to distinguish the words; and then the newcomers' steps moved on
again.

The children began to breathe more freely.

"Better stay quiet another minute or two," said Freda.

But Helena was not happy in her mind about little Leigh.

"It's so damp and chilly in here under the bridge," she said to Freda.
"He's sure to catch cold unless he gets a run in the sunshine."

"He must be awfully delicate then," said Hugh, with some contempt in his
voice. "You should see the wettings _we_ get--even Maggie, and she's a
_girl_."

At this Leigh grew very red, and Helena found he was going to burst out
crying, which would not have been a very good way of showing he was a
man, I consider.

But Freda told Hugh not to talk nonsense, for she was sensible enough to
know that what Helena said was true.

"I'll peep out now," she said, "and if the coast is clear, I'll 'cooey'
to you very softly, like we do at 'I spy,' and then you can all come
out. I'll wait for you at the top of the bank. It's a bother to go up it
and down and up aga