sudden, her eyes fell upon
Philip. She turned, ran up to him, clutched him by the arm, and pulled
him away from Conrad.

"Phil," she said, "I want to have you all to myself. I have something
terribly exciting to say."

Philip looked from Conrad to Ann.

"But you are always getting into hot water, Ann," he replied, "and Con
and I were talking about our fishes. We think if we are very careful
with our pocket-money we may have enough to buy some gold and silver
fish in the holidays."

"Yes, yes," answered Ann impetuously; "buy any kind of fish you like.
Only, Con, like a dear, good boy, please go and walk at the other end
of the terrace for five minutes. I must speak to someone or I'll
burst."

"How awfully vulgar you are, Ann!" said Lucy, who happened to pass by,
with Mary leaning on her arm, at that moment.

But Philip felt flattered at Ann's evident anxiety to be alone with
him.

"Go and do as you are told, Conrad," he said, in lofty tones; "go to
the other end of the terrace at once."

"It's rather hard on me," said Conrad. "I like having secrets as well
as anybody else; the air is full of secrets to-day--why shouldn't I
have some?"

"I'll have a secret with you by and by," said Ann, "if you'll only go
away now."

The little boy looked at her, saw she was in earnest, and obeyed
somewhat unwillingly.

"Now then, Ann," said Philip, "speak out; be as quick as ever you
can."

"Philip," said Ann, in a solemn voice, "don't you want to know all
about the children who are coming to-night?"

"Is that what the secret is about?" said Philip in disgust. "Do you
know, Ann, what I heard Miss Ramsay say to Simpson to-day. She said
that the new children would be awful bothers, and that _she_ for one
does not know if she is going to stay, and Simpson said she was sure
that she would give notice too. Miss Ramsay said it was an awful shame
bringing four children to the house, and Simpson threw up her hands.
You know how she looks when she throws up her hands. And she said,
'Them's my sentiments, Miss Ramsay.' Do you know what she meant by
'Them's my sentiments,' Ann, 'cos I don't? I never heard such funny
words before. Did you, Ann?"

"No," said Ann; "but you ought not to have listened, Phil."

"Oh, I often listen!" replied Philip calmly. "I get to know all kinds
of funny things that way, and they turn out no end useful. I know lots
of things about Miss Ramsay, and since I just let her know that I did,
she is not h