e, and even Mrs. Desart said, "Carrots, I
wonder at your behaving so when your aunt and cousin are here. Floss, do
you know what is the matter with him?"

"No, mamma," said Floss, looking as she always did when Carrots was in
distress, ready to cry herself.

"Carrots," said Captain Desart, sharply, "go to the nursery till you
learn to behave properly."

Carrots got slowly down off his high chair, and crept away. But
everybody looked troubled and uncomfortable.

Auntie hated to see people looking troubled and uncomfortable. She
thought a minute, and then she turned to Mrs. Desart.

"Lucy," she said, "will you let me try what I can do with the poor
little fellow? I am sure it was not naughtiness made him cry."

And almost before Mrs. Desart could reply, auntie was off to the nursery
in search of Carrots.

He had left off crying, and was sitting quietly by the window, looking
out at his old friend the sea.

"What are you thinking about, my poor old man?" said auntie, fondly.

Carrots looked up at her. "I like you to call me that," he said. "I was
thinking about our hoops and what a long time four weeks is."

"Has that to do with you having no sugar?" asked auntie.

[Illustration: "What are you thinking about, my poor old man?" said
auntie, fondly. _To face page_ 148.]

"Yes," said Carrots. "How _did_ you guess? You're like a fairy, auntie."
But then his face grew troubled again. "I forgot," he went on, "it's a
secret. It's Floss's secret too. I would so like to tell you, for I
don't know what to do. I don't mind having no tea, but they all thought
I was naughty."

"Wait a minute," said auntie. She hurried out of the room, but was back
in a minute.

"I've asked Floss," she said, "and she gives you leave to tell me. So
now, perhaps, when I know all about it, I can tell you what to do."

The telling did not take Carrots long; he was so glad to show auntie he
had not meant to be naughty. Auntie listened quite gravely, and when he
had finished she said she thought he was quite right not to take any
sugar.

"But do you think Floss did?" said Carrots, anxiously.

"Perhaps having tea in the dining-room made her forget," said auntie.
"We'll ask her afterwards, and if she did forget, I'll tell you what she
must do. She must go without one day longer than you. Now come along
with me, and I'll make it all right, you'll see."

When they got back to the dining-room auntie quietly lifted Carrots on
to his chair aga