eer nervousness.

"Well, to be sure," said she, "their dresses are pretty too. And they
seem quite a better sort of children, they talk quite genteel. I might
ha' knowed they weren't like common mummers, but I was so flusterated
hearing the bell go so late, and--"

"Are they ready?" said the old man, who had stood like a ghost in the
dim light of the flaring tallow candle, grimly watching the
proceedings.

"Yes, sir. Shall I take them to the kitchen, sir?"

"--for you and the other idle hussies to gape and grin at? No. Bring
them to the library," he snapped, and then stalked off, leading the
way.

The housekeeper accordingly led them to the library, and then
withdrew, nearly falling on her face as she left the room by stumbling
over Darkie, who slipped in last like a black shadow.

The old man was seated in a carved oak chair by the fire.

"I never said the dogs were to come in," he said.

"But we can't do without them, please," said Robin, boldly. "You see
there are eight people in 'The Peace Egg,' and there are only five of
us; and so Darkie has to be the Black Prince, and Pax has to be the
Fool, and so we have to have them."

"Five and two make seven," said the old man, with a grim smile; "what
do you do for the eighth?"

"Oh, that's the little one at the end," said Robin, confidentially.
"Mamma said we weren't to mention him, but I think that's because
we're children.--You're grown up, you know, so I'll show you the book,
and you can see for yourself," he went on, drawing "The Peace Egg"
from his pocket: "there, that's the picture of him, on the last page;
black, with horns and a tail."

The old man's stern face relaxed into a broad smile as he examined the
grotesque woodcut; but when he turned to the first page the smile
vanished in a deep frown, and his eyes shone like hot coals with
anger. He had seen Robin's name.

"Who sent you here?" he asked, in a hoarse voice. "Speak, and speak
the truth! Did your mother send you here?"

Robin thought the old man was angry with them for playing truant. He
said, slowly, "N--no. She didn't exactly send us; but I don't think
she'll mind our having come if we get back in time for supper. Mamma
never _forbid_ our going mumming, you know."

"I don't suppose she ever thought of it," Nicholas said, candidly,
wagging his curly head from side to side.

"She knows we're mummers," said Robin, "for she helped us. When we
were abroad, you know, she used to tell us abou