vous in his
anxiety to do the thing rightly; so, when Archie cried `Now,' for him to
cover the glass with its little cap, he put it on with a bang that
knocked over and nearly smashed the whole concern. So what does the boy
do but sets up a chair in the right focus and arranges the instrument
with a string tied to the little cap. Then he sits down on the chair,
puts on a heavenly smile, and pulls the string. Off comes the cap! He
counts one, two--I don't know how many--and then makes a sudden dash at
the camera an' shuts it up! What the result may be remains to be seen."

"Oh, it'll be the same as usual," remarked Junkie in a tone of contempt.
"There's always something goes wrong in the middle of it. He tried to
take Boxer the other day, and _he_ wagged his tail in the middle of it.
Then he tried the cat, and she yawned in the middle. Then Flo, and she
laughed in the middle. Then me, an' I forgot, and made a face at Flo in
the middle. It's a pity it has got a middle at all; two ends would be
better, I think. But won't you tell about the elephants to _us_, Mr
Jackman? There's plenty of us here--please!"

"Nay, Junkie; you would not have me break my word, surely. When we are
all assembled together you shall have it--some wet day, perhaps."

"Then there'll be no more wet days _this_ year, if I've to wait for
that," returned the urchin half sulkily.

That same day, Milly, Barret, and Jackman arranged that the mystery of
the cowardly young man must be cleared up.

"Perhaps it would be best for Miss Moss to explain to her mother," said
Giles.

"That will not I," said Milly with a laugh.

"I have decided what to do," said Barret. "I was invited by her to call
and explain anything I had to say, and apologise. By looks, if not by
words, I accepted that invitation, and I shall keep it. If you could
only manage somehow, Milly, to get everybody out of the way, so that I
might find your mother alone in--"

"She's alone _now_," said Milly. "I left her just a minute ago, and she
is not likely to be interrupted, I know."

"Stay, then; I will return in a few minutes."

Barret retired to his room, whence he quickly returned with shooting
coat, knickerbockers, pot-cap and boots, all complete.

"`Richard's himself again!' Allow me to congratulate you," cried
Jackman, shaking his friend by the hand. "But, I say, don't you think
it may give the old lady rather a shock as well as a surprise?"

Barret looked at