ir neat shape, and
were all "squashy" together, when Duke threw down his spoon in despair.

"I can't eat any more, sister. I cannot try any more."

Pamela opened her lips to make some reproach; she was a very "proper"
little girl, as you have probably discovered, but the words died away
before they were uttered, as her eyes fell on her own bowl, and with a
deep sigh she said:

"I'm afraid I can't finish mine either. And after us saying to Nurse
about going to be so good."

Her blue eyes began to look very dewy. Duke, who could not bear to see
his dear "sister" sad, spoke out (in Nurse's absence be it observed)
valiantly--more so, it must be confessed, than was his wont.

"I don't see that it's naughty of us not to eat more when us isn't
hungry for more. _I_ think it would be like little pigs to eat more than
they want. Little pigs would go on eating all day just 'cos they're too
silly, and they've got nothing else to do."

"But," objected Pamela, "us haven't eaten as much as us _can_, Duke, for
you know downstairs us _could_ eat Grandmamma's treat. _I_ could--I
could snap it up in a minute, and the tea too, and yet I _can't_ eat any
more bread and milk!" and she gazed at the bowl with a puzzled as well
as doleful expression. "I'm afraid--yes, I'm afraid, Duke, that us is
dainty like Master Frederick and Miss Lucy in 'Amusing Tales.' And Nurse
says it is so very naughty to be dainty when so many poor children would
fink our bread and milk such a great treat."

"I'm sure I wish, then, they'd come and eat it," said Duke. "I'd be very
glad to give it them."

His boldness quite took away his sister's breath, and she looked up at
him in astonishment.

"_Bruvver!_" she said reproachfully.

"Well, there's nothing naughty in that. It would be much better than
letting it all be wasted. And----" but just at that moment came a queer
little sound at the door, which made Duke tumble off his high chair as
fast as he could, and hurry to open it.

"It's Toby," he cried.

Toby, sure enough, it was--Toby with his little black nose and bright
eyes gleaming from behind the overhanging shaggy hair, that no one _but_
a Toby could have seen through without squinting--Toby, rather subdued
and meekly inquiring at first, as if not quite sure of his welcome,
till--a glance round the room satisfying him that there was no one to
dread, no one but his two dearly-beloved friends--his courage returned,
and he rushed towards them with sho