of the vengeance he
would wreak on the scoundrelly villagers. But after a while he forgot
his pricks and bruises to bask in the presence of Sir Maurice; and he
plied him with unflagging friendliness for the rest of the evening.

The Twins were allowed to sit up till ten o'clock since their Uncle
Maurice was staying with them; and since the Terror was full of
admiration and approval of Erebus' strenuous endeavor to instil into
Captain Baster the perils and drawbacks of stepfatherhood, he brushed
out her abundant hair for her, an office he sometimes performed when
she was in high favor with him. As he did it she related gleefully the
stoning of their enemy.

When she had done, he said warmly: "It was ripping. But the nuisance
is: he doesn't know it was you who did it, and so it's rather wasted."

"Don't you worry: I'll let him know sometime to-morrow," said Erebus
firmly.

"Yes; but he's awfully waxy: suppose he prosecutes you?" said the
Terror doubtfully.

Erebus considered the point; then she said: "I don't think he'd do
that; he'd look so silly being stoned by a girl. Anyhow, I'll chance
it."

"All right," said the Terror. "It's worth chancing it to put him off
marrying mother. And of course Uncle Maurice is here. He'll see
nothing serious happens."

"Of course he will," said Erebus.

It must have been that the unflagging friendliness of Captain Baster
had weighed on their uncle's mind, for Erebus, coming softly on him
from behind as he leaned over the garden gate after breakfast, heard
him singing to himself, and paused to listen to his song.

It went:

"_Where did his colonel dig him up,
So young, so fair, so sweet,
With his shining nose, and his square, square toes?
Was it Wapping or Basinghall Street?_"

He was so pleased with the effort that he sang it over to himself,
softly, twice with an air of deep satisfaction; and twice the moving
but silent lips of Erebus repeated it.

He was silent; and she said: "Oh, uncle! It's splendid!"

Sir Maurice started and turned sharply: "You tell any one, little
pitcher, and I'll pull your long ears," he said amiably.

Erebus made no rash promises; she gazed at him with inscrutable eyes;
then nodding toward a figure striding swiftly over the common, she
said: "Here he comes."

Sir Maurice gained the threshold of the front door in two bounds,
paused and cried: "I'm going back to bed! Tell him I'm in bed!"

He vanished, slamming the do