were twisted round the stud with elastic and held
in position by a crescent of whalebone. They bought made-up white silk
knotted ties sown with crimson fleurs-de-lys and impaled with a
permanent brass horseshoe. They spent a long time in the morning
plastering back their hair with soap and water, while in the ribbons of
their straw hats they pinned inscribed medallions. Finally they
purchased Wanghee canes and when they met their two little girls in
blue, the latter both averred that Michael and Alan were much improved.

Miss Carthew remained ill for two or three days; so Michael and Alan
were able to display themselves and their sweethearts all the length of
the promenade. They took to noticing the cut of a coat as it went by and
envied the pockets of the youths they met; they envied, too, the collars
that surrounded the adolescent neck, and wished the time had come for
them to wear 'chokers.' Sometimes, before they undressed, they would try
to pin round their necks stiff sheets of note-paper in order to gauge,
however slightly, the effect of high collars on their appearance.

The weather was now steadily fine and hot, and Michael begged Miss
Carthew to let him and Alan buy two blazers and cricket belts. Somewhat
to his surprize, she made no objection, and presently Michael and Alan
appeared upon the front in white trousers, blue and yellow blazers and
cherry-coloured silk belts fastened in front by a convenient metal
snake. Dora thought they looked 'all right,' and, as Miss Carthew had
succumbed again to her headache, Michael and Alan were free to swagger
up and down on the melting asphalt of the promenade. Miss Carthew grew
no better, and one day she told the boys that Nancy was coming down to
look after them. Michael did not know whether he were really glad or
not, because, fond as he was of Nancy, he was deeply in love with Dora
and he had a feeling that Nancy would interfere with the intrigues. In
the end, as it happened, Nancy arrived by some mistake on the day before
she was expected and, setting forth to look for the boys, she walked
straight into them arm in arm with Dora and Winnie. Michael was very
much upset, and told the girls to scoot, a command which they obeyed by
rushing across the road, giggling loudly, standing on the opposite curb
and continuing to giggle.

"Hullo!" said Nancy, "who are your young friends in blue cashmere?"

Michael blushed and said quickly they were friends of Alan, but Alan
wo