elves. Percy and I were
thinking of going as girls--not pretty girls, of course, like you,
Christine--but great, rough peasant girls."

Christine laughed, and colored

"You would be too tall," she said.

"We should be rather tall," Ralph said, ruefully. "We have grown so
horribly, in the last few months. Still, some women are as tall as
we are."

"Yes, some women are," Christine said, "but men look after them and
say, 'What big, gawky women!' and you don't want to be looked
after. If people did so, they would see that you didn't walk one
bit like a woman, and that your shoulders were very wide, and your
arms very strong, and--

"Oh no! It wouldn't do at all. I must think it over.

"I suppose you want that great blue-coated bear to go?" and she
nodded at Tim Doyle who--not being able to speak a word of her
language--was always indulging in the most absurd pantomime of love
and devotion; causing screams of laughter to the merry German girl.

"Yes, Tim must go too, Christine."

"Ha, ha!" laughed the girl. "Fancy him as a woman."

"What is she saying about me, Mister Percy?"

"She says you would make a very pretty woman, Tim."

"Tare and ages, Mister Percy," Tim said, taking it quite seriously,
"how could I do it, at all? I'd have to shave off all my beautiful
beard and mustaches and, even then, I doubt if you would mistake me
for a woman."

The boys screamed with laughter, and translated the Irishman's
speech to Christine; who laughed so that her mother came into the
room.

"Look here, children," she said, smiling, "I don't want to know
what you are talking about. If anything of any sort happens, I may
be asked questions; and I don't want to have to tell stories. I
can't help hearing, if you leave the door open, and laugh
so--indeed, all the neighborhood might hear it; so please shut the
door, in future."

So saying, she again went back to her work in the next room.

"Goodbye, I'm going, too," Christine said. "I will think it over,
by tomorrow morning, and tell you what you are to do."

The next morning, the boys were very anxious to hear Christine's
proposals; for although they had quite made up their minds to try
their own plan, if hers was not feasible, still they felt that,
with her knowledge of the country, she was likely, at any rate, to
give them good advice.

Until she had cleared away breakfast, Christine said nothing. Then
she took out her knitting, and sat against the window.

"Now," sh