been so tiresome, and Madame had been so particular, and it
had been so hot; in fact, all had gone wrong.

But we were soon very merry at tea, all except Madame, who looked a
little stately; and, after tea, she said she had a complaint to make
against a certain person, for misconduct during my absence.

She was interrupted by Gatty's jumping up, and saying. "Oh yes! yes!
such a glorious thing happened, it was so killing!--"

"Gertrude, you shock me," said Madame, "to talk of so grave a
misdemeanour, in such terms."

"Indeed! Madame, I cannot help it. I never laughed so much in my life.
Did you, Sib? Did you, Serena?"

Whereupon all the girls, big and little, tittered and laughed according
to their different natures, and I felt relieved. But I was convinced
that Felix was the culprit he was so red, and, while his brother rolled
on the sand with merriment, he said nothing.

But Madame was so very grave, and seemed really so annoyed, that the
laughing ceased, except when Gatty burst into a fresh fit, though she
was cramming her handkerchief into her mouth, and that set Oscar off
too.

"The young gentlemen came to their lessons in very good time," proceeded
Madame, "and Master Oscar immediately proceeded to learn his Latin
declensions and to little Felix I gave a short lesson in French, out of
that small book which, as you know, Madam, contained a page or two of
first French lessons for young beginners." I nodded as much as to say I
knew the book. "And then, Madam, as he was so giddy and volatile, I put
him under the table to learn it, with the cloth all round him, that his
attention might be distracted by nothing that he saw."

Here the tittering was vehement. "He was I must acknowledge, very quiet
and good, so much so, that perhaps it was half an hour ere I called him
to say it." Here Gatty became convulsed. Oscar in a similar state, and
not all Madame's gravity could restrain the others.

"You may imagine my surprise, Madam, when I found the book gone, he had
it not. In vain I made him look for it, nay, I acknowledge that I went
down on my knees under the table to look for it also, thinking he must
be telling an untruth, in saying it was not there. I could find it
nowhere, neither can I find it now, and though I have made him confess
what he did with it, yet, I assure you, Madam, the matter seems so
extraordinary to me, I beg you will ask him yourself." In spite of the
laughter, I called Felix, and with a half