I will show them the way." What did he go for, Willie?
Do you remember?'

'Cousin Jack said he went to find the egg conjurors play with, but I
think he was joking.'

'Well, anyhow, he was a genius, and that's why we read about him in our
school-books. Wouldn't it be fun, Willie, if children were to read about
us at school?'

Willie looked doubtful. 'I don't think they'd like us,' he answered.
'People in school-books are often not nice.'

'Well, it doesn't matter much,' said Ella.

Then the children went home in silence with all their wonderful plans
dancing wildly in their brains. What grand things they would do, what a
marvellous garden they would have, and how every one would try to
discover their secret! They were rather old for such fancies; but they
had not begun lessons very early in their lives, owing to both being in
rather weak health.

Unhappily there was no one at home to whom they could tell their plans.
Mother was away, Father was too busy to listen to all the stories of his
children, and their elder sister, Mary, had laughed at them too often to
be taken into their confidence. But, after, all, they concluded it was
better so. Their secret would remain a real, real secret, and so, at the
right moment, all the world, even the world of home, would be struck
with surprise!

That night nothing could be done; they had too many lessons to learn,
too many toys to put away, too many tiresome questions about school to
answer. Besides, there were so many important things to think about
before beginning the great work. In what ground, for example, would it
be best to plant the soldiers, and was not the season too far advanced?
It would be such a pity if any stupid mistake should spoil their
beautiful plan, for then nobody would believe they were geniuses.

'I tell you what,' said Ella next morning, 'we must begin with only one
thing. Let us try your soldiers first. If they grow well, then I will
plant my doll. If she turns into another doll, then we will tell Mother,
and she will give us her money to sow. How many soldiers have you,
Willie?'

'Only one boxful,' answered Willie, sadly. 'Perhaps we had better sow
our pennies first, and then, when the tree of sovereigns comes up, we
can buy whole regiments of soldiers.'

But Ella shook her head. 'No,' said she, seriously. 'You forget that the
Japanese are losing a lot of men at the front. Father said so this
morning, and they must not be kept waiting for tw