shouldn't disturb them yet. It's
early you know."

"Mightn't I just go in and kiss Uncle Everard?" pleaded Tessa. "I love
him so very much. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"Let him rest a bit longer!" advised Bernard. "He is worn out. Sit down
here, on the arm of my chair, and tell me about yourself! Where have you
come from?"

Tessa jerked her head sideways. "Down there. We live at The Grand Stand.
We've been there a long time now, nearly ever since Daddy went away.
He's in Heaven. A _budmash_ shot him in the jungle. Mother made a great
fuss about it at the time, but she doesn't care now she can go motoring
with the Rajah. He is a nasty beast," said Tessa with emphasis. "I
always did hate him. And he frightened my darling Aunt Stella at the
gate yesterday. I--could have--killed him for it."

"What did he do?" asked Bernard.

"I don't know quite; but the car twisted round on the hill, and Aunt
Stella thought it was going to upset. I tried to take care of her, but
we were both nearly run over. He's a horrid man!" Tessa declared. "He
caught hold of me the other day because I got between him and Mother
when they were sitting smoking together. And I bit him." Vindictive
satisfaction sounded in Tessa's voice. "I bit him hard. He soon let go
again."

"Wasn't he angry?" asked Bernard.

"Oh, yes, very angry. So was Mother. She told him he might whip me if he
liked. Fancy being whipped by a native!" High scorn thrilled in the
words. "But he didn't. He laughed in his slithery way and showed his
teeth like a jackal and said--and said--I was too pretty to be whipped."
Tessa ground her teeth upon the memory. It was evidently even-more
humiliating than the suggested punishment. "And then he kissed me--he
kissed me--" she shuddered at the nauseating recollection--"and let me
go."

Bernard was listening attentively. His eyes were less kindly than usual.
They had a steely look. "I should keep out of his way, if I were you,"
he said.

"I will--I do!" declared Tessa. "But I do hate the way he goes on with
Mother. He'd never have dared if Daddy had been here."

"He is evidently a bounder," said Bernard.

They sat for some time on the verandah, growing pleasantly intimate,
till presently Peter came out with an early breakfast for Bernard. He
invited Tessa to join him, which she consented to do with alacrity.

"We must find Scooter afterwards," she said, as she proudly poured out
his coffee. "And then perhaps, if I keep good, A