ng for a children's hospital, Hilary threw away her book, Mrs.
Jolliffe had ceased to embroider, but that was because she was
peacefully dozing.

'Victory!' said Clarence, waving his sword.

'Then they did come?' cried Cecily, triumphantly.

'Rather!' he replied. 'I couldn't tell how many there were, but they
were overcome with panic at the first discharge. I fancy _these_ Indians
had never heard firearms before.'

'How funny that we shouldn't have heard any now!' remarked Hazel,
resting her chin on her palms, while her grey eyes had a rather mocking
sparkle in them.

'Not funny at all,' he said, 'considering the wind was the other way. I
let them come on, and then poured a volley into the thickest part of
their ranks--that made them waver, and then I made a sortie, and you
should have just seen them scuttle!'

'I wish I had,' said Hazel, as she pasted another Christmas card into
her album. 'And weren't you wounded at all?'

'A mere scratch,' he said lightly (which is what book-heroes always
say).

'It looks as if you had been amongst the gooseberry-bushes,' said
Hilary, examining his arm as he pulled up his sleeve.

'Does it? Well, I only know it's lucky for me there were no poisoned
arrows.'

'Oughtn't you to have it burnt, though, Clarence, just in case?'
suggested Cecily, in all good faith; 'there's sure to be a red-hot poker
in the kitchen.'

But Clarence was very decidedly of opinion that such a precaution was
not necessary.

'And you're quite sure the Indians are all gone?' she asked.

'There isn't one of 'em within miles,' he said confidently, 'I'll answer
for that.'

'Then come upstairs with me, and we'll let the army out. They'll be in
such a temper!'

They found the two boys, who had tired of kicking and shouting by that
time, sitting gloomily on the long seats in the dark.

'Guy, dear--Jack,' said Cecily, timidly, 'you can come out now. Clarence
has beaten the Indians.'

'Without us?' groaned Guy. 'Cecily, I'll never speak to you again!
Tinling, I--we--you don't think we funked, do you? She locked us up
here!'

All the General's native magnanimity came out now.

'We won't say any more about it,' he said. 'It was rather a close shave,
with only one man to do it all. But, there, I managed somehow, and
perhaps it was just as well you weren't there. The first rush was no
joke, I can tell you.'

Jack punched his own head with both hands.

'Oh, it's too bad!' he said--he was almost in