head off she cried
awfully, and I only gave her the weeniest little tap--an' they sent me
to bed at six o'clock for it. I believe she cried on purpose--awfully
caddish, wasn't it?"

"My dear Imp," said I, "the older you grow, the more the depravity of
the sex will become apparent to you."

"Do you know, I like you," he said, regarding me thoughtfully, "I think
you are fine."

"Now that's very nice of you, Imp; in common with my kind I have a
weakness for flattery-please go on."

"I mean, I think you are jolly."

"As to that," I said, shaking my head and sighing, "appearances are
often very deceptive; at the heart of many a fair blossom there is a
canker worm."

"I'm awfull' fond of worms, too," said the Imp.

"Indeed?"

"Yes. I got a pocketful yesterday, only Aunty found out an' made me
let them all go again."

"Ah-yes," I said sympathetically; "that was the woman of it."

"I've only got one left now," continued the Imp; and thrusting a hand
into the pocket of his knickerbockers he drew forth six inches or so of
slimy worm and held it out to me upon his small, grimy palm.

"He's nice and fat!" I said.

"Yes," nodded the Imp; "I caught him under the gooseberry bushes;" and
dropping it back into his pocket he proceeded to don his shoes and
stockings.

"Fraid I'm a bit muddy," he said suddenly.

"Oh, you might be worse," I answered reassuringly.

"Do you think they'll notice it?" he inquired, contorting himself
horribly in order to view the small of his back.

"Well," I hesitated, "it all depends, you know."

"I don't mind Dorothy, or Betty the cook, or the governess--it's Auntie
Lisbeth I'm thinking about."

"Auntie--who?" I exclaimed, regardless of grammar.

"Auntie Lisbeth," repeated the Imp.

"What is she like?"

"Oh, she's grown up big, only she's nice. She came to take care of
Dorothy an' me while mother goes away to get nice an strong--oh Auntie
Lisbeth's jolly, you know."

"With black hair and blue eyes?"

The Imp nodded.

"And a dimple at the corner of her mouth?" I went on dreamily--"a
dimple that would lead a man to the--Old Gentleman himself."

"What old gentleman?"

"Oh, a rather disreputable old gentleman," I answered evasively.

"An' do you know my Auntie Lisbeth?"

"I think it extremely probable--in fact, I'm sure of it."

"Then you might end me your handkerchief, please; I tied mine to a bush
for a flag, you know, an' it blew away."

"You'd better come here and