cried Betty nervously. "Somebody will see you! I
know they will!"

"It's very kind of you to be so anxious on my account, but I think I
can take care of myself," said Lewis with a disagreeable laugh. "You
thought you had all got away from me, did you? Pretty sort of friends,
I call you! All going off one day without saying a word, and never
coming back."

"After all, we are not obliged to play with you!" exclaimed Madge with
some spirit.

"Aren't you indeed? We shall soon see!" replied Lewis. "I'm not at
all sure that you can get away from me! I sat on the wall and watched
you come down here after dinner, then I seized my opportunity when
nobody was about, and ran across the fields to join you. It was worth
seeing how frightened you all were when I quietly stepped in at the
door! And wherever you go to play I shall turn up in just the same
way. You see if I don't!"

"What nonsense! We can play in the garden if we like!" said Madge
defiantly.

"So you can! And find me hiding in the potting-shed and behind the
cucumber-frames," replied Lewis.

Betty began to cry. It was not very brave of her, but then she had
been rejoicing so much at getting rid of Lewis and his mysteries, and
was so horribly disappointed when they all returned.

"I won't have you coming back here to tease us all!" cried Madge
angrily. "I am sorry we ever spoke to you. It was wrong of us, and I
heartily wish we hadn't. If you go on--"

"Mind, you promised faithfully not to tell anybody about me,"
interrupted Lewis. "If you say a single word about my coming over the
wall you will have told a lie."

"Yes, that's the worst of it," admitted Madge. "And yet it seems just
as untruthful to meet you and pretend we are only playing by ourselves.
Either way it's wrong."

"Very likely," said Lewis carelessly. "That's your affair. It's too
late to draw back now."

There was a silence, during which the three Wests heartily repented
their naughty folly in having secretly made such an undesirable
acquaintance.

Presently there was a heavy footstep in the yard below.

"What's that?" whispered Lewis, in a very different voice to the
bullying accents in which he had just been speaking.

"It is Barton driving the cows into the yard to be milked," replied
Madge softly. "He always does it about this time."

"But how am I to get down the ladder to go home if he is standing at
the bottom?" inquired Lewis nervously.

"I never thought