own with a feather--quite a small one: for in her note
she had said we must come and let her offer us good advice before it was
too late; and Robert had hinted that his mother meant to dissuade us
from our wild-goose chase--in the company of Mr. Starr and Mr. Starr's
aunt.

"I think you know how to take care of yourselves," she went on.

"And we'll have a chaperon," Phil assured her.

"So I have heard, from my son. I have great faith in the Scotch. Yes, as
you have been a little too kind-hearted, and promised this strange young
man, it is necessary that somebody should have an aunt. Otherwise, if
you two had been quite alone together, it would not so much have
mattered. In Holland girls have liberty, more than anywhere except in
America. The bicycle is their chaperon, for all young girls and men
bicycle with us. The motor-boat might have been your chaperon. Even if
the aunt should not come, perhaps the nephew could be got rid of, and a
way arranged, rather than give up your tour."

We were delighted, and I could have hugged Cousin Cornelia. Indeed, I
did thank her warmly, and was rather surprised that Phil, who usually
overflows with gratitude for the slightest kindness, was not more
effusive over my relative's interest in our affairs, and her
broad-minded verdict.

"She's a lamb, after all, isn't she?" I asked, when the large lady had
gone, and I was ready to creep into a bed only an inch too short for me.

"She may be a lamb, but she isn't going to let us shear her, if she can
help it," said Phil, looking deadly wise.

"What _do_ you mean?"

"My dear girl, with all your cleverness, you're only a baby child about
some things. _Don't_ you see what's she's driving at?"

I shook my head, with my hair about my face.

"Or what all her questions were leading up to? Well, then, what _do_ you
think has made her change her mind about our motor-boating?"

"She saw we could take care of ourselves."

"She has found out that we're poor, and obliged to. She supposed from
what your cousin Robert told her, that we were heiresses; and she would
have kept us on a long visit if--oh, you silly old dear, don't you see
she's afraid of us--with _him_? She'll be polite and nice, but she wants
us to disappear."

"Good gracious!"

"Pretty Lilli told me this evening that Freule Menela van der Windt
hasn't much money, but she comes of a splendid family: she's a distant
relation of that Mr. Brederode, and her people are diplomats