er on his shoulder, while the child
shrieked with delight and called him dear, darling old Duncan.

At last, however, the hall was in order. The ingle-nook was a blaze of
light and cosiness. The boys and girls were chattering as they had
never chattered before; and Duncan, assisted by a boy of the name of
Rob, who wore the Lennox livery, brought in ponderous trays, which were
laid on great tables. These trays contained tea and coffee, scones to
make your mouth water, butter arranged like swans swimming in parsley,
and shortbread made by that famous cook, old Mrs Duncan, who was also
the housekeeper at The Garden.

The trays were followed, alas! by the kitchen cat, Jean, who smelt the
good things and walked in with her tail very erect, and a look on her
face as much as to say, 'I 'm monarch of all I survey!'

'Out you go, Jean!' cried Hollyhock.

'No, Hollyhock, don't be unkind to poor Jean,' said Mrs Constable.
'You were very glad to have her when you were alone. And now listen,
my dear; I have something to whisper to you.'

Hollyhock dropped Jean, who was immediately snatched up by Gentian.
Gentian provided the kitchen cat with a rich mixture of cream, milk,
and sugar. She lapped it slowly and gracefully, as all cats will, in
front of the ingle-nook, the two great dogs watching her with envious
eyes, but not daring to interfere.

Mrs Constable, meanwhile, continued to whisper in a distant corner to
Hollyhock, 'My darling, I was the first to tell you the great news--I
mean with regard to the boys' school, or, as we intend to call it, the
Annex. No other child knows of it at present, and no other child knows
that you are going to Ardshiel on Monday with your sisters. Now, what
I propose is this. You must have a hearty tea and enjoy yourself as
much as possible, and then you shall have the great honour of telling
the news _first_ about yourself, and then about my boys and the little
school, to the others. _Only_ Hollyhock shall tell. There, my pet,
kiss me. See how I love you.'

'Oh, you do, and you are a darling,' said Hollyhock, who was keenly
gratified by this distinction bestowed upon her.

The tea was disposed of with appetite. Never, surely, was there such
shortbread eaten before, never such scones partaken of.
Notwithstanding her private tea upstairs, Hollyhock was very hungry and
happy, and the marked attentions which Jasper paid her gave her intense
and unalloyed pleasure. Oh, what a pity he