face, "I'll be even with you some
day, if ever I get the chance."

There was a great lack of the usual mirth and gaiety at the tea-table
that evening. Every one knew what had happened, and in their anxiety
to avoid any reference to the painful subject conversation flagged, and
even Queen Mab's attempts to enliven the assembly for once proved a
failure. Neither of the boys would have been at all shocked at seeing
a row settled by an exchange of blows, had the dispute taken place at
school; but here, at Brenlands, it seemed a different matter--bad blood
and rough language were out of keeping with the place, and the punching
of heads seemed a positive crime.

To make matters worse, the day ended with a thunderstorm, and the
evening had to be spent indoors. Raymond was in a sulk, and refused to
join in any of the parlour games which were usually resorted to in wet
weather.

"Aunt Mab, I wish you'd show us some of your treasures," said Barbara.
She was kneeling upon a chair in front of a funny little semicircular
cupboard with a glass door, let into the panelling of the wall, and
filled with china, little Indian figures, and all kinds of other odds
and ends.

"Very well, dear, I will," answered Miss Fenleigh, glad to think of
some way of amusing her guests. "Run up and fetch the bunch of keys
out of the middle drawer in my dressing-table."

The young people gathered round, and the contents of the cupboard were
handed from one to another for examination. The curiosities were many
and various. The girls were chiefly taken with the china; while what
most appealed to Jack and Valentine was a small Moorish dagger. They
carefully examined the blade for any traces of bloodstains, and trying
the point against their necks, speculated as to what it must feel like
to be "stuck."

"And what's that?" asked Barbara, pointing to a little, square leather
case on the bottom shelf.

"Ah! that's the thing I value more than anything else," answered Queen
Mab. "There!" she continued, opening the box and displaying a large,
handsome gold watch. "That was given to your grandfather by the
passengers on his ship at the end of one of his voyages to Australia.
They met with dreadful weather, and I know I've heard him say that for
two days and nights, when the storm was at its height, he never left
the deck. You boys ought to be proud to remember it. There,
Valentine, read the inscription."

The boy read the words engraved on the