ng middle-aged."

"It's an art to grow grey gracefully," smiled Margaret Lindsay.

CHAPTER XIV

What Happened at Easter

In spite of her real concern for Rosemary's disappointment, Lorraine
enjoyed the Easter holidays. There was much to be done in them. Morland
and Claudia were anxious to revisit the Sea-Nymph's Grotto, which had
been neglected during the winter, so with Landry in attendance they
chose a fine day, and had another delightful picnic there. Fortunately
the tides had not reached as high as the mouth of the cave, and their
"furniture" was undisturbed; even the shell patterns remained as
formerly, though the sea-weed was brown and shrivelled. That was a
matter easily remedied, however, for the rock pools below were full of
pink and green algae, and corallines beautiful enough for a mermaid's
bouquet.

"It would be a ripping place for a hermit," said Morland. "I expect it
beats a dug-out hollow. I shall often think of it when I'm called up!"

"Me go to the war too!" said Landry suddenly.

He spoke so seldom that Claudia turned in surprise.

"No, Landry, dear, I couldn't spare you."

"But Morland's going!"

"All the more reason why you should stay at home and take care of me."

"Me want to be with you _both_," said Landry fretfully.

"But that can't be. The Government will send papers, and then Morland
will have to go."

There was trouble in the boy's blue eyes; his poor dull brain seemed to
be making a supreme effort to understand. He spoke again, still in the
language of a little child.

"Landry will take the nasty papers and hide them, and then Morland stay
at home."

"No, no, dear! Landry couldn't do that," laughed Claudia, fondling his
hand. "You must be my good boy and look after me when he's gone."

Landry relapsed once more into his habitual silence, but it was evident
that a new and unusual access of thought was stirring in his feeble
mind. He kept looking at Morland with awakened interest. Lorraine,
watching, wondered what was the result of his cogitations. His own
sister and brother, accustomed to his moods, took no more notice of an
occurrence that seemed trivial at the moment, but afterwards bore
unexpected fruit.

"When we've made the cave so nice, it seems almost a pity to keep it
_quite_ to ourselves," suggested Morland after a pause.

"Why, but we all pledged ourselves to absolute secrecy!"

"I know we did."

"Whom do you want to bring here?" enquired Claudia s