et her for
once take the chance offered her of doing a big, kind thing. But as he
stared at her it entered his mind that he couldn't very well start
moving her heart on behalf of the twins in their presence. He couldn't
tell her they were orphans, alone in the world, helpless, poor, and so
unfortunately German, with them sitting there. If he did, there would be
trouble. The twins seemed absorbed for the moment in getting fed, but he
had no doubt their ears were attentive, and at the first suggestion of
sympathy being invoked for them they would begin to say a few of those
things he was so much afraid his mother mightn't be able to understand.
Or, if she understood, appreciate.

He decided that he would be quiet until Edith came back, and then ask
his mother to go to the drawing-room with him, and while Edith was
looking after the Annas he would, well out of earshot, explain them to
his mother, describe their situation, commend them to her patience and
her love. He sat silent therefore, wishing extraordinarily hard that
Edith would be quick.

But Anna-Felicitas's eyes were upon him now, as well as his mother's.
"Is it possible," she asked with her own peculiar gentleness, balancing
a piece of patty on her fork, "that you haven't yet mentioned us to your
mother?"

And Anna-Rose, struck in her turn at such an omission, paused too with
food on the way to her mouth, and said, "And we such friends?"

"Almost, as it were, still red-not from being with you?" said
Anna-Felicitas.

Both the twins looked at Mrs. Twist in their surprise.

"I thought the first thing everybody did when they got back to their
mother," said Anna-Rose, addressing her, "was to tell her everything
from the beginning."

Mrs. Twist, after an instant's astonishment at this unexpected support,
bowed her head--it could hardly be called a nod--in her son's direction.
"You see--" the movement seemed to say, "even these ..."

"And ever since the first day at sea," said Anna-Felicitas, also
addressing Mrs. Twist, "up to as recently as eleven o'clock last night,
he has been what I think can be quite accurately described as our
faithful two-footed companion."

"Yes," said Anna-Rose. "As much as that we've been friends. Practically
inseparable."

"So that it really is _very_ surprising," said Anna-Felicitas to Mr.
Twist, "that you didn't tell your mother about us."

Mr. Twist got up. He wouldn't wait for Edith. It was unhealthy in that
room.

He took