two big children. Come along, Patty! I want Colin
to show you his birds' eggs. He's got quite a nice collection."

"Us too!" cried the little ones, holding out beseeching hands. "We won't
touch a thing."

Colin, however, was firm in his refusal.

"No, thank you," he said. "I'd as soon let Floss loose among my birds'
eggs as trust you two."

"But we'd promise."

"I don't believe your promises. You'd break them in three seconds, and
the eggs as well. You smashed all those I gave you last term. Here, you
may have this blue chalk pencil and draw pictures. Don't quarrel over it
more than you can help."

The collection of birds' eggs was kept downstairs, so, leaving Nell and
Jamie in the nursery, the girls went with Colin to the breakfast-room,
where there were Jean's foreign stamps to look at afterwards, and a
large album full of picture postcards. Mr. Bannerman came in for tea,
and was so pleasant and jovial and full of fun, that he entertained them
all for more than half an hour with his jokes and stories. He had
travelled much in his youth, and had many tales to tell of wild
adventures in far-off countries, or amusing experiences nearer home. He
joined afterwards in playing games, in which the little ones were also
included; and the time passed away so quickly, that Patty could scarcely
believe it was eight o'clock when Aunt Lucy's maid arrived to fetch her
home.

"I expect you had a stupid afternoon," said Muriel, on her return, "one
of those tiresome duty visits that have to be paid now and then, worse
luck!"

"On the contrary, I enjoyed it immensely," said Patty.

"Why, what did you do? I can't imagine there'd be anything exciting at
the Bannermans'."

"Oh! we played games, and looked at birds' eggs, and postcards, and
things."

"That doesn't sound interesting in the least. You should have been at
the Holdens'. They have a pianola and a gramophone, and we were trying
over all the new pantomime songs."

"I liked being with Jean."

"I don't know what you see in Jean. I think she's a most stupid,
commonplace girl. I'm not at all anxious to be friends with her in
Waverton, and I'm very glad I couldn't go to-day. You were welcome to my
share of the visit if you enjoyed it, but please don't suggest to Mother
to invite her back, because we haven't an afternoon free, and I'd rather
not ask her if we had!"

CHAPTER X

The Caesar Translation

Patty heaved a sigh of relief when she found herself ba