t to know. My name is Juliet Moore. Now
tell me yours!"

He looked at her doubtfully. "Juliet is a name out of a book," he said.

She laughed, a low, soft laugh that woke an answering glimmer of
amusement in his sullen face. "How clever of you to know that!" she said.

"No, I'm not clever." Tersely he contradicted her. "Old Swag at The Three
Tuns says I'm the village idiot."

"What a horrid old man!" she exclaimed almost involuntarily.

He nodded his heavy head. "Yes, I knocked him down the other day, and
kicked him for it. Dicky caned me afterwards,--I'm not supposed to go to
The Three Tuns--but I was glad I'd done it all the same."

"Well, who is Dicky?" she asked again. Her interest was growing.

He glared at her with sudden suspicion. "What do you want to know for?"

"Because I think he must be rather a brave man," she said.

The suspicion vanished. His eyes shown. "Oh, Dicky isn't afraid of
anything," he declared with pride. "He's my brother. He knows--heaps of
things. He's a man."

"You are fond of him," said Juliet, with her friendly smile.

The boy's face lighted up. "He's the only person I love in the world," he
said, "except Mrs. Rickett's baby."

"Mrs. Rickett's baby!" She checked a quick desire to laugh that caught
her unawares. "You are fond of babies then?"

"No, I'm not. I like dogs. I don't like babies--except Mrs. Rickett's
and he's such a jolly little cuss." He smiled over the words, and again
she felt a deep compassion. Somehow his face seemed almost sadder when
he smiled.

"I am staying with Mrs. Rickett," she said. "But I only came yesterday,
and I haven't made the baby's acquaintance yet. I must get myself
introduced. You haven't told me your name yet, you know. Mayn't I hear
what it is? I've told you mine."

He looked at her with renewed suspicion. "Hasn't anybody told you about
Me yet?" he said.

"No, of course not. Why, I don't know anybody except Mr. and Mrs.
Rickett. And it's much more interesting to hear it from yourself."

"Is it?" He hesitated a little longer, but was finally disarmed by the
kindness of her smile. "My name is Robin."

"Oh, that's a nice name," Juliet said. "And you live here? What do you
do all day?"

"I don't know," he said vaguely. "I can mend fishing-nets, and I can help
Dicky in the garden. And I look after Mrs. Rickett's baby sometimes when
she's busy. What do you do?" suddenly resuming his attitude of suspicion.

She made a slight gesture of th