a."

Max ducked skilfully just as Anna brought the tapes together.

"Just look at 'im," said the girl.

"Come, come, Max," said Miss Bibby, "you don't want to spoil that pretty
coat with your porridge. Why, it's your new coat with a pocket in! Let
Anna tie it now, quickly."

Again Anna essayed her task. Max held still till the square of huckaback
portraying the economic existence of Jack Sprat and his wife was well
beneath his chin, and the tapes gathered once more up into Anna's
hands.

Then he gave a movement like a plunging horse, seized the offending
article and flung it with all his force across the table where it fell
and floated upon the milk Muffie had poured over her porridge.

"Very well, Anna," said Miss Bibby, "take the bib away and you need not
wait. Master Max does not want any breakfast."

This was quite true, for Master Max had quite satisfied his morning
appetite by a surreptitious ten minutes at the mulberry tree while the
three little girls were having their hair brushed.

"Can I go?" he said eagerly.

"You mean, may I?" Miss Bibby said mechanically.

"Well, may I?"

"Certainly not. You will sit quite still as a gentleman should when
ladies are still eating."

Max cast a lowering glance at the ladies.

"Well, make her hurry," he said; "look at her taking anover lot of
leam." He glared at Muffie.

"I shall take six lots of cream, if I choose," said Muffie. "I've got
to put something on to take away the taste of your horrid dirty bib."

"It was a clean one, Muffie, or I should have passed you a fresh
plateful," said Miss Bibby; "at the same time that does not excuse Max
for his ill-behaviour. Max, before I can overlook your conduct you must
apologize to Muffie and to Anna."

Muffie looked important; she rather enjoyed being apologized to.

Max sat very square on the big books of his chair; possibly their
presence beneath him encouraged his rebellion by reminding him that
until he took a firm stand against it a month or two ago a high chair
had been considered fitted to his dignity.

"I've done wiv bibs," he announced, and he looked the whole table fairly
in the face.

Pauline and Muffie and Lynn giggled a little. They had begun to
recognize vaguely that Max was not exactly as they were.

When he stood with his little legs planted far apart and his little
hands thrust deep in his knickerbocker pockets, and his little head
cocked on one side, some subtle breath of a spirit, mascu