rious special
privileges of an unofficial character this hot Sunday morning.
Consequently a spiritually willing but carnally incompetent band,
consisting of one jovial but arthritic baronet, one docile but
self-conscious warrior, one indulgent but overheated parent, and
Dolly--Gerald stood scornfully aloof--were compelled to devote the next
two hours to a series of games, stage-plays, and allegories of an
innocuous but exhausting description.

We began by joining hands and walking in a circle, solemnly chanting a
ditty of the "I-saw-a-ship-a-sailing" variety, which culminated in the
following verse--

"Then three times round went that gallant ship,
Then three times round went she;
Then three times round went that gallant ship--

(Here we were commanded by the mistress of the revels, in a hoarse and
hurried stage whisper, to be ready to fall down)

--And sank to the bottom--of--the--sea!"

"Now all fall down!" screamed Phillis.

We did so, and lay on the grass in serried heaps. The remark which the
Admiral made when my left elbow descended upon his goutiest foot was
fortunately obscured by the fact that his face was inside his hat at the
moment.

After that we performed the "most lamentable comedy" of "The Three
Bears." Phillis assigned the parts, reserving for herself the _role_ of
Curly Locks and Stage Manager. Dolly was cast for Mother Bear, Captain
Dermott for Father Bear, and I for Baby Bear. The Admiral, at his own
urgent request, was allotted the comparatively unimportant part of Baby
Bear's bed, and sat nursing his foot and observing with keen relish the
preparations of the Bear family for their morning walk. We set out at
last, all three on our hands and knees, Dolly and Dermott crawling
amicably side by side, heroically regardless of white skirt and Sunday
sporran; I, as befitted my youth and station, bringing up the rear.

The Bears having vacated their domicile (the grass plot), Curly Locks,
after much furtive peeping round bushes, entered and advanced to the
rustic table, where she proceeded to test the contents of the various
porridge-bowls (represented by two tobacco-pouches and an ash-tray
respectively).

"Too hot!" she said, after sampling the first bowl.

"Too cold!" she continued, trying the next.

"A-a-ah!" she cried, coming to the third; and swallowed its contents
(some heather-tops) with every appearance of enjoyment.

After that came the inspection of the beds (two sofa-