newly-landed trout, while Ayah wrestled with a struggling Tony, who
tried to drown his sister's screams with angry cries of "Let me get at
her to box her," and, failing that, vigorously boxing Ayah.

Jan closed the door behind her and stood where she was, saying in the
quiet, compelling voice they had both already learned to respect: "It's
time for Mummy's sleep, and how can Mummy sleep in such a pandemonium?"

Little Fay paused in the very middle of a yell and her face twinkled
through the restraining net.

"Pandemolium," she echoed, joyously rolling it over on her tongue with
obvious gusto.

"Pandemolium."

"She kickened and fit with me," Tony cried angrily. "I _must_ box her."

"Pandemolium?" little Fay repeated inquiringly. "What nelse?"

"Yes," said Jan, trying hard not to laugh; "that's exactly what it was
... disgraceful."

"What nelse?" little Fay persisted. She had heard disgraceful before. It
lacked novelty.

"All sorts of horrid things," said Jan. "Selfish and odious and
ill-bred----"

"White bled, blown bled, ill-bled," the person under the net chanted.
"What nother bled?"

"There's well-bred," said Jan severely, "and that's what neither you nor
Tony are at the present moment."

"There's toas' too," said the voice from under the net, ignoring the
personal application. "Sall we have some?"

"Certainly not," Jan answered with great sternness. "People who riot and
brawl----"

"Don't like zose words," the netted one interrupted distastefully (R's
always stumped her), "naughty words."

"Not so naughty as the people who do it. Has Ayah had her dinner? No?
Then poor Ayah must go and have it, and I shall stay here and tell a
very soft, whispery story to people who are quiet and good, who lie in
their cots and don't quarrel----"

"Or blawl" came from the net in a small determined voice. She could not
let the new word pass after all.

"Exactly ... or brawl," Jan repeated in tones nothing like so firm.

"She kickened and fit me, she did," Tony mumbled moodily as he climbed
into his cot: "Can't I box her nor nothing?"

"Not now," Jan said, soothingly. Ayah salaamed and hurried away. She, at
all events, had cause to bless Jan, for now she got her meals with fair
regularity and in peace.

In a few minutes the room was as quiet as an empty church, save for a
low voice that related an interminable story about "Cockie-Lockie and
Henny-Penny going to tell the King the lift's fallen," till one, at all