anly, somehow."

Her mother did not notice her hesitation.

"Let us go upstairs, dears," she said. "I _am_ tired, but I am not going
to let myself be over-anxious. I shall try to put things aside, as it
were, till I hear from Great-Uncle Hoot-Toot. I have the fullest
confidence in his advice."

"I wish he would take it into his head to come home," said Frances.

"So do I," agreed her mother.

They were hardly settled in the drawing-room before Vic appeared.

"Elsa," she whispered, "Geoff sent me to ask if he may have something to
eat."

"Something to eat," repeated Elsa. "He had two eggs with his tea. He
can't be hungry."

"No--o-- But there were anchovy toasts at dinner--Harvey told him. And
he's so fond of anchovy toasts. I think you'd better say he may, Elsa,
because of mamma."

"Very well," the elder sister replied. "It's not right--it's always the
way. But what are we to do?"

Vicky waited not to hear her misgivings, but flew off. She was
well-drilled, poor little soul.

Her brother was waiting for her, midway between the school-room and
dining-room doors.

"Well?" he said, moving towards the latter.

"Yes. Elsa says you may," replied the breathless little envoy.

"Elsa! What has she to do with it? I told you to ask mamma, not Elsa,"
he said roughly.

He stood leaning against the jamb of the door, his hands in his
pockets, with a very cross look on his handsome face. But Victoria,
devoted little sister though she was, was not to be put down by any
cross looks when she knew she was in the right.

"Geoff," she said sturdily, "I'll just leave off doing messages or
anything for you if you are _so_ selfish. How could I go teasing mamma
about anchovy toasts for you when she is so worried?"

"How should I know she is busy and worried?" said Geoff. "What do you
mean? What is it about?"

"I don't know. At least I only know that Elsa and Francie told me that
she _was_ worried, and that she had letters to write for the ship that
goes to India to-morrow."

"For the Indian mail you mean, I suppose," said Geoff. "What a donkey
you are for your age, Vic! Oh, if it's only that, she's writing to that
old curmudgeon; _that's_ nothing new. Come along, Vicky, and I'll give
you a bit of my toasts."

[Illustration: HER BROTHER WAS WAITING FOR HER.]

He went into the dining-room as he spoke, and rang the bell.

"Harvey'll bring them up. I said I'd ring if I was to have them. Upon my
word, Vic, it isn't every