you can
nod or shake your head. That won't be telling."

"For shame, Hugh! Phil would laugh at you for being a girl if you are
so curious. What mamma told Mrs Bicknor was that Jane was her
right-hand. What do you think that meant exactly?"

"That Jane might give you a good slap when you are so provoking," said
Hugh, rolling over and over, till his clothes were covered with dust,
and Agnes really thought once that he was fairly going over the edge
into the yard.

"There is something that I can tell you, Hugh; something that I want to
tell you, and nobody else," said Agnes, glad to see him stop rolling
about, and raise himself on his dusty elbow to look at her.

"Well, come, what is it?"

"You must promise beforehand not to be angry."

"Angry! When am I angry, pray? Come, tell me."

"You must--you really must--I have a particular reason for saying so--
you must learn how much four times seven is. Now, remember, you
promised not to be angry."

Hugh carried off his anger by balancing himself on his head, as if he
meant to send his heels over, but that there was no room. From upside
downs his voice was heard saying that he knew that as well as Agnes.

"Well, then, how much is it?"

"Twenty-eight, to be sure. Who does not know that?"

"Then pray do not call it fifty-six any more. Miss Harold--"

"There's the thing," said Hugh. "When Miss Harold is here, I can think
of nothing but fifty-six. It seems to sound in my ears, as if somebody
spoke it, `four times seven is fifty-six.'"

"You will make me get it by heart too, if you say it so often," said
Agnes. "You had better say `twenty-eight' over to yourself all day
long. You may say it to me as often as you like. I shall not get
tired. Come, begin now--`four times seven'--"

"I have had enough of that for to-day--tiresome stuff! Now, I shall go
and play with Harry again."

"But wait--just say that line once over, Hugh. I have a reason for
wishing it. I have, indeed."

"Mother has been telling Mr Tooke that I cannot say my
multiplication-table! Now, that is too bad!" exclaimed Hugh. "And they
will make me say it after dinner! What a shame!"

"Why Hugh! You know mamma does not like--you know mamma would not--you
know mamma never does anything unkind. You should not say such things,
Hugh."

"Ay, there! You cannot say that she has not told Mr Tooke that I say
my tables wrong."

"Well--you know you always do say it wrong to her."

"