would not have been a good time
to begin a quarrel--if _ever_ there is a good time for a bad thing?--for
they were just at home by now, and Hec and Ger met them on their way in
with the news that Aunt Mattie had come for Miss Mouse and that
schoolroom tea was quite ready. Rosamond had to hurry over her tea, as
Mrs. Caryll did not think it worth while to 'put up,' and yet it was too
chilly to keep the horse standing long.

'You shall have a little extra supper to-night, dear, to make up,' she
said. 'You shall come in to pudding with Uncle Ted and me, instead of
only to dessert.'

'Thank you, auntie,' said the little girl. 'I wasn't very hungry at
tea-time, for I had two cakes at old Nance's and some beautiful milk.'

Mrs. Caryll turned round in some surprise--they were in the brougham on
their way home--'Cakes and milk at old Nance's,' she repeated. 'I
didn't know the boys were allowed to go there. Why have you never told
me about it before, or is this the first time you have been?'

'Oh no,' Miss Mouse replied, for she had no thought of concealment or
deception, beyond her wish not to chatter about the Hervey children's
affairs unnecessarily--what Justin called 'tell-taleing'--'oh no,
auntie. I think it's the third time we've been there. The boys often
go--old Nance is very good and kind, and she tells us such pretty
stories.'

Mrs. Caryll felt a little perplexed. It seemed curious that Rosamond
should never have spoken of these visits before--and yet--it was so
impossible to think of the little girl as anything but frank and
truthful that her aunt did not even like to repeat her question as to
why she had kept silence about the cottage on the moor. It would seem
like doubting Rosamond. So for a moment or two Aunt Mattie sat thinking
without speaking.

She had not long to wait.

'Auntie,' said Rosamond, in a puzzled tone, 'it wasn't wrong of me not
to tell you before about our going to see Nance, was it? It was only
that Justin explained to me that boys are different from girls--they
don't like every little thing they do to be told over at home, and I
have seen for myself that Miss Ward is rather fussy. Justin and Pat call
it "tell-taleing," so I thought I just wouldn't talk about them _unless_
they did anything naughty, and even then I wouldn't have told without
telling _them_ I was going to tell, though I'm sure they wouldn't do
anything naughty, not Pat and Archie, anyway. And I really don't see
much of Jus-