his back and closed his eyes again.

"Well, as a matter of fact, the competition isn't quite closed," said
Archie. "Entries can still be received."

"We haven't really decided at all," put in Dahlia gently. "It _is_ so
difficult."

"In that case," said Samuel, "Thomas and I will continue to act. It is
my pleasant duty to inform you that we had a long consultation
yesterday, and finally agreed to call him--er--Samuel Thomas."

"Thomas Samuel," said Thomas sleepily.

"How did you think of those names?" I asked. "It must have taken you a
tremendous time."

"With a name like Samuel Thomas Mannering," went on Simpson ["Thomas
Samuel Mannering," murmured Thomas], "your child might achieve almost
anything. In private life you would probably call him Sam."

"Tom," said a tired voice.

"Or, more familiarly, Sammy."

"Tommy," came in a whisper from the sofa.

"What do you think of it?" asked Dahlia.

"I mustn't say," said Archie; "they're my guests. But I'll tell you
privately some time."

There was silence for a little, and then a thought occurred to me.

"You know, Archie," I said, "limited as their ideas are, you're rather
in their power. Because I was looking through the service in church on
Sunday, and there comes a point when the clergyman says to the
godfathers, 'Name this child.' Well, there you are, you know. They've
got you. You may have fixed on Montmorency Plantagenet, but they've only
to say 'Bert,' and the thing is done."

"You all forget," said Myra, coming over to sit on the arm of my chair,
"that there's a godmother too. I shall forbid the Berts."

"Well, that makes it worse. You'll have Myra saying 'Montmorency
Plantagenet,' and Samuel saying 'Samuel Thomas,' and Thomas saying
'Thomas Samuel.'"

"It will sound rather well," said Archie, singing it over to himself.
"Thomas, you take the tenor part, of course: 'Thomas Samuel, Thomas
Samuel, Thom-as Sam-u-el.' We must have a rehearsal."

For five minutes Myra, Thomas, and Simpson chanted in harmony, being
assisted after the first minute by Archie, who took the alto part of
"Solomon Joel." He explained that as this was what he and his wife
really wanted the child christened ("Montmorency Plantagenet" being only
an invention of the godmother's) it would probably be necessary for him
to join in too.

"Stop!" cried Dahlia, when she could bear it no longer; "you'll wake
baby."

There was an immediate hush.

"Samuel," said Archie in a whisper,