fleet?' Dan interrupted.

The lady turned to him eagerly.

'D'you think they did right to go?' she asked.

'I don't see what else they could have done,' Dan replied, after
thinking it over.

'D'you think she did right to send 'em?' The lady's voice rose a little.

'Well,' said Dan, 'I don't see what else she could have done, either--do
you? How did they stop King Philip from getting Virginia?'

'There's the sad part of it. They sailed out that autumn from Rye Royal,
and there never came back so much as a single rope-yarn to show what had
befallen them. The winds blew, and they were not. Does that make you
alter your mind, young Burleigh?'

'I expect they were drowned, then. Anyhow, Philip didn't score, did he?'

'Gloriana wiped out her score with Philip later. But if Philip had won,
would you have blamed Gloriana for wasting those lads' lives?'

'Of course not. She was bound to try to stop him.'

The lady coughed. 'You have the root of the matter in you. Were I Queen,
I'd make you Minister.'

'We don't play that game,' said Una, who felt that she disliked the lady
as much as she disliked the noise the high wind made tearing through
Willow Shaw.

'Play!' said the lady with a laugh, and threw up her hands affectedly.
The sunshine caught the jewels on her many rings and made them flash
till Una's eyes dazzled, and she had to rub them. Then she saw Dan on
his knees picking up the potatoes they had spilled at the gate.

'There wasn't anybody in the Shaw, after all,' he said. 'Didn't you
think you saw some one?'

'I'm most awfully glad there isn't,' said Una. Then they went on with
the potato-roast.

THE LOOKING-GLASS

_Queen Bess was Harry's daughter!_

The Queen was in her chamber, and she was middling old,
Her petticoat was satin and her stomacher was gold.
Backwards and forwards and sideways did she pass,
Making up her mind to face the cruel looking-glass.
The cruel looking-glass that will never show a lass
As comely or as kindly or as young as once she was!

The Queen was in her chamber, a-combing of her hair,
There came Queen Mary's spirit and it stood behind her chair,
Singing, 'Backwards and forwards and sideways may you pass,
But I will stand behind you till you face the looking-glass.
The cruel looking-glass that will never show a lass
As lovely or unlucky or as lonely as I was!'

The Queen was in her chamber, a-weeping