_ be! Let me see--Uncle GABRIEL and
Aunt JOANNA, two; the DITCHWATERS, four; BODFISHES, six; TOOMERS, eight;
Miss BUGLE, nine; Mr. POFFLEY, ten; CECILIA FLINDERS, eleven, ourselves--we
_are_ thirteen! And I know Uncle will refuse to sit down at all if he
notices it; and, anyway, it is sure to cast a gloom over the whole thing.
We _must_ get somebody!

_Mr. T._ Couldn't that Miss--what's her name? SEATON--dine, for once?

_Mrs. T._ The idea, MONTAGUE! Then there would be one Lady too many--if you
can _call_ a Governess a Lady, that is. And I do so disapprove of taking
people out of their proper station.

[Illustration: "Montague, _don't_ say you went and ordered him."]

_Mr. T._ I might wire to FILLETER or MAKEWAYT--but I rather think they're
both away, and it won't do to run any risk. Shall I bring home STERNSTUHL
or FEDERFUCHS? Very quiet, respectable young fellows, and I could let one
of 'em go off early to dress.

_Mrs. T._ Thank you, MONTAGUE--but I won't have one of your German clerks
at _my_ table--everyone would see what he was in a minute. And he mightn't
even have a dress-suit! Let me think ... _I_ know what we can do. BLANKLEY
supplies extra guests for parties and things. I remember seeing it in the
paper. We must hire a man there. Go there at once, MONTAGUE, it's very
little out of your way, and tell them to be sure and send a gentlemanly
person--he needn't talk much, and he won't be required to tell any
anecdotes. Make haste, say they can put him down to my deposit account.

_Mr. T._ I don't half like the idea, MARIA, but I suppose it's the only
thing left. I'll go and see what they can do for us.

[_He goes out._

_Mrs. T._ I _know_ he'll make some muddle--I'd better do it myself! (_She
rushes out into the passage._) JANE, is your Master gone? Call him
back--there, I'll do it. (_She calls after Mr. T.'s retreating form from
the doorstep._) MONTAGUE! never mind about BLANKLEY'S. _I_'ll see to it. Do
you hear?

_Mr. T.'s Voice_ (_from the corner_). All right, my love, all right! I
hear.

_Mrs. T._ I must go round before lunch. JANE, send Miss SEATON to me in the
breakfast-room. (_She goes back to her desk; presently_ Miss MARJORY SEATON
_enters the room; she is young and extremely pretty, with an air of
dejected endurance_.) Oh, Miss SEATON, just copy out these _menus_ for me,
in your neatest writing, and see that the French is all right. You will
have plenty of time for it, as I shall take Mis