"Come on, out with it!" cried Colonel Pinner testily, beginning to thump
again.

And Cyril leaned forward and yelled, "Father's still very fond of
meringues."

At that Grandfather Pinner jumped as though he had been shot.

"Don't shout!" he cried. "What's the matter with the boy? Meringues!
What about 'em?"

"Oh, Aunt Josephine, must we go on?" groaned Cyril desperately.

"It's quite all right, dear boy," said Aunt Josephine, as though he and
she were at the dentist's together. "He'll understand in a minute." And
she whispered to Cyril, "He's getting a bit deaf, you know." Then she
leaned forward and really bawled at Grandfather Pinner, "Cyril only
wanted to tell you, father dear, that his father is still very fond of
meringues."

Colonel Pinner heard that time, heard and brooded, looking Cyril up and
down.

"What an esstrordinary thing!" said old Grandfather Pinner. "What an
esstrordinary thing to come all this way here to tell me!"

And Cyril felt it was.

"Yes, I shall send Cyril the watch," said Josephine.

"That would be very nice," said Constantia. "I seem to remember last
time he came there was some little trouble about the time."

Chapter 3.X.

They were interrupted by Kate bursting through the door in her usual
fashion, as though she had discovered some secret panel in the wall.

"Fried or boiled?" asked the bold voice.

Fried or boiled? Josephine and Constantia were quite bewildered for the
moment. They could hardly take it in.

"Fried or boiled what, Kate?" asked Josephine, trying to begin to
concentrate.

Kate gave a loud sniff. "Fish."

"Well, why didn't you say so immediately?" Josephine reproached her
gently. "How could you expect us to understand, Kate? There are a great
many things in this world you know, which are fried or boiled." And
after such a display of courage she said quite brightly to Constantia,
"Which do you prefer, Con?"

"I think it might be nice to have it fried," said Constantia. "On the
other hand, of course, boiled fish is very nice. I think I prefer both
equally well... Unless you... In that case--"

"I shall fry it," said Kate, and she bounced back, leaving their door
open and slamming the door of her kitchen.

Josephine gazed at Constantia; she raised her pale eyebrows until they
rippled away into her pale hair. She got up. She said in a very
lofty, imposing way, "Do you mind following me into the drawing-room,
Constantia? I've got something of great i