ng. We all had to do
some sewing and afterwards there was tea. I joined, of course. The sub.
was only sixpence, and there was always tea, with cake, though not good
cake. Afterwards I found that I'd sworn a most solemn oath always to do
a kind act to some one every day. That's the sort of way you get let in
at those meetings."

"You didn't read the directions for use beforehand that time."

"No. But in the end it turned out all right. It was just before the
hols when it happened, so, of course, Aunt Juliet had to be my principal
victim. I wouldn't do kind acts to Father. He wouldn't understand
them, not being educated up to Ministering Children. But Aunt Juliet is
different, for I knew that by far the kindest thing I could do to her
was to have a few faults. So I did and have ever since, though I stopped
being a Ministering Child next term and so wriggled out of the swear."

Frank, leaning on Jimmy Kinsella, came towards them from the boat He was
bent on being particularly polite to Miss Rutherford, feeling that he
ought to atone for his unfortunate blunder with the boat He took off his
cap and bowed.

"I hope," he said, "that you've been successful in catching sponges."

"I've not got any to-day," said Miss Rutherford. "I haven't begun to
fish for them. The tide isn't low enough yet. How are you getting on
with the spies? Caught any?"

"Oh," said Frank, "we don't really think they are spies, you know."

"All the same," said Priscilla, "the president of the War Office is out
after them. At least we think he must be. We don't see what else he can
be after, nor does Father."

"Lord Torrington is to arrive at my uncle's house to-day," said Frank.

"Then they must be spies," said Miss Rutherford. "Not that I ever
doubted it."

"That water is pretty near boiling," said Priscilla, "What about
dropping in the soup?"

"Which shall we have?" said Miss Rutherford. "There's Mulligatawny and
Oxtail?"

"Mulligatawny is the hot sort," said Priscilla, "rather like curry in
flavour. I'm not sure that I care much for it. By the way, talking of
hot things, didn't you say you had some peppermint creams?"

Miss Rutherford produced the parcel. Priscilla put two into her mouth
and made a little pile of six others beside her on the ground. Frank
said that he would wait for his share till after he had his soup. Miss
Rutherford took one. The desiccated Oxtail soup was emptied into the
pot. Priscilla retained the paper in which i