s as she smoothed down
her apron, she went back muttering to her own room.

Volume 1, Chapter XIII.

MISHAPS.

Lunch at Tolcarne that day was not one of the most pleasant of meals.
Sir Hampton had come in, looking purple instead of red with his walk, to
pause at the hall door and dismiss Sanders, the gardener, who stood
mopping his face.

"Er-rum! Look here, Sanders!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, sir," said Sanders.

"Yes, Sir Hampton, man!"

"Yes, Sir Hampton," said Sanders, slowly and impressively, as if he were
trying to fix the formula in his mind.

"I'll see you in the morning about a new bed on the lawn, and--er-rum--
don't let this affair be talked about."

"No, sir--Hampton," said Sanders.

He went heavily down the new path, while his master stood apparently
loading himself--that is to say, he thrust what seemed to be a white
gun-wad into his mouth, before turning into the hall, and letting off a
tremendous "Er-rum," which echoed through the house. The wad, however,
was only a digestive tablet, an antidote to the heartburn, from which
Sir Hampton suffered; and he strode into the dining-room, where the
family was already assembled for luncheon.

"Oh, dad--papa," cried Fin, "such news for you."

"Don't worry your papa, my dear," said Miss Matilda, smoothing her
handkerchief, which, from being sat upon, resembled a cambric cake;
"wait till he has had some refreshment. He is tired. Hampton, will you
take a cutlet?"

"Don't, pa. Have some chicken pie."

"Shall I send you a poached egg, dear?" said Lady Rea, who was in
difficulties with the mustard-pot, the protruding spoon of which had
entangled itself with her open lace sleeve, and the yellow condiment was
flowing over the table.

"No," said Sir Hampton, gruffly.

"Tut, tut, tut," said Lady Rea, making matters worse by trying to scrape
up the mustard with a spoon.

"Hadn't you better let Edward do that, dear?" said Miss Matilda, with a
pained expression of countenance, as she played pat-a-cake once more
with her handkerchief.

"They do make the mustard so horribly thin," said Lady Rea. "Finetta,
give papa some of the pie."

Fin looked mischievously across at her sister, and then cut a large
portion of the patty, enough to have called forth an angry remonstrance
at another time; but though Miss Matilda looked perfectly horrified, Sir
Hampton was too angry and absorbed to notice it; he only went on eating.

"Well, Finetta, dear," said Lady Re