nd angry.

"Yes," said Cousin Magdalen, in reply to Maudie's question, "in a very
old fairy story. Are you fond of fairy stories?"

"_I_ is," said a voice that was certainly not Maudie's.

Magdalen turned to her quietly.

"Are you, dear?" she said, as if not the least surprised at her joining
in the conversation. "And you too, Maudie? And Hec and Duke?"

"Oh yes, very," said Maudie. "Of course Hec and Duke don't like
difficult ones--there's some kinds that keeps meaning something else all
the time, and they are rather difficult, aren't they?"

"Yes," said Magdalen, smiling. "I like the old-fashioned ones that don't
mean anything else. I must try to think of some for you."

Maudie clapped her hands, and Hoodie's face grew very bright. Suddenly
she gave a little spring, as if a new idea had struck her.

"I've zought of some'sing," she cried, and turning to Miss King,

"Does you like eggs?" she inquired.

"Very much," said her cousin.

"Zen, if you'll tell us stories, I'll get you eggs. Kite, kite fresh.
Doesn't you like them _kite_ fresh?"

"Yes, quite fresh; they can't be too fresh," said Magdalen.

"Can't be too fresh," repeated Hoodie. "Zat means just the moment minute
they'se laid. Oh, that'll be lovely. And when'll you tell us some
stories, please?"

"Let's see," said Cousin Magdalen. "I'll have to think, and thinking
takes a good long while."

"Nebber mind," said Hoodie. "You'll zink as soon as you can, won't you,
dear?"

And for the rest of the morning's walk she was perfectly angelic, in
consequence of which Cousin Magdalen felt more completely puzzled by her
than ever.

The day passed over pretty smoothly. Late in the afternoon, just as the
children were preparing for a run in the garden before tea, an
excitement got up in the nursery by the absence of Hoodie's basket,
which she insisted on taking out with her.

"My bastwick; oh my bastwick," she cried. "I must have my bastwick."

"What do you want it for, Miss Hoodie?" said Martin. "There'll be no
time for picking flowers, and we're not going up the lanes."

"Oh, but I must have my bastwick," repeated Hoodie.

Martin, fearful of an outbreak, stood still to consider.

"When did you have it last?" she said. "Now I do believe it was
yesterday at that cottage, and I brought it home for you. Yes, and I put
it down in the back hall where your hoops are. Now, Miss Hoodie, if
you'll promise to be very good all the time you're out, you may run