t you promise me not to get into each
other's beds?"

We both felt rather ashamed.

"Yes, mother," I said, "I know you did, but--"

Tom interrupted me--

"Don't be vexed with Audrey, mother," he said, jumping up and throwing
his arms round her neck, "it was most my fault. Audrey wanted to
whisper to me. Oh mother," he went on, hugging mother closer and burying
his round dark head on her shoulder, "oh mother, Audrey's _told_ me."

Then without another word Tom burst into tears--not loud crying like
when he was hurt or angry, but deep shaking sobbing as if his poor
little heart was really breaking. And for a moment or two mother could
not speak. She could only press him more tightly to her, trying to choke
back the tears that she was afraid of yielding to.

Poor Racey stood staring in fear and bewilderment--his blue eyes quite
ready to cry too, once he understood what it was all about. He gave a
little tug to mother's dress at last.

"Muzzie, what's the matter?" he said.

Mother let go her hold of Tom and turned to Racey.

"Poor little boy," she said, "he is quite frightened. Audrey, I thought
you would have understood I would tell the boys myself."

"Oh, I am so sorry," I exclaimed. "I wish I hadn't. But I did so want to
speak to somebody about it, and Tom was awake--weren't you, Tom?"

"Yes, I was awake," said Tom. "Don't be vexed with Audrey, mother."

Mother didn't look as if she had the heart to be vexed with anybody.

"I daresay it doesn't matter," she said sadly. "But, Audrey, you need
not say anything about it to Racey--it is better for him to find out
about it gradually."

After that day things seemed to hurry on very fast. Almost immediately,
papa and mother began to prepare for the great changes that were to be.
Our house had a big ticket put up on the gate, and several times ladies
and gentlemen came to look at it. Mother did not like it at all, I could
see, though of course she was quite nice to the ladies and gentlemen,
but the boys and I thought it was rather fun to have strange people
coming into the house and looking at all the rooms, and we made new
plays about it. I used to be the ladies coming to look, and Tom was the
footman to open the door, and Racey, dressed up with one of my skirts,
was mother, and sometimes Pierson, showing the ladies the rooms.
Sometimes we pretended they were nice ladies, and then Racey had to
smile and talk very prettily like mother, and sometimes they were cro