d the twins, with alacrity. And they lowered like
toppling thunderclouds.

"Then tell me all about it!" said Sister Bell, sitting down on the step,
and taking a hand of each.

"What happened to my twinnies? Did some one throw away their tadpoles,
or did the dog eat their molasses candy?"

This allusion to early misfortunes could generally bring a smile, but
this time it failed, and Bell looked from one to the other in genuine
concern.

"Phil! Jerry! What is it?" she asked again. "Oh, there has been no bad
news, boys? Roger!--"

Gerald groaned.

"Roger!" he said. "That's just it, Bell! No, nothing of the kind you
mean. He's well, poor dear old Codger. Better than he will be, when he
hears what is going on."

"What _is_ going on? Come, boys, I really must know."

"We met Hilda just now," said Gerald. "Her cousin's come; kind of
fiddler-chap from Germany. I'm afraid it's all up with the Codger,
Bell."

"Indeed!" said Bell, quietly. "And what makes you think that, Jerry?"

"Oh, we met them just now! He--he's about nine feet tall, to begin
with."

"That _is_ a beginning! Where does he expect to end? But I have seen Mr.
Ferrers, Jerry. I saw him last night."

"You did? Why didn't you tell a fellow?"

"Oh, I--I--hardly know!" said downright Bell, unused to even the whitest
fib. She really could not, perhaps, have put into words the feeling that
had kept her silent about the scene of the night before.

"But that is no matter!" she went on. "What else is the matter with him,
besides height? He can't help that, you know."

"I don't suppose he can. But he can help making up to Hilda, Bell, and
he'd better!" savagely. "Only it's too late now, I suppose!"
despondently. "Why on earth the fellow couldn't stay and fiddle over
there, where he's wanted,--don't admire their taste, by the
way!--instead of coming over here to spoil everything, is more than _I_
know!"

"Horrid shame!" murmured Phil, taking careful aim with a pebble at an
innocent cat that was crossing the lawn.

Bell struck his hand up.

"I won't have the cats teased, Phil! And as for all this nonsense--"

"It isn't nonsense!" cried both boys, earnestly.

"I tell you we met them just now," Gerald went on, "and when he saw us,
he looked black as thunder, and had hardly manners to speak to us.
Perfectly odious; wasn't he, Ferguson?"

"Absolutely!" echoed Phil.

"And you were very cordial to him, of course?" said Bell. "You let him
see that you we