slices in a napkin, I
thrust them into the pocket with the nose. To add half a brown loaf to
the mask and drain the milk jug was the work of another moment, and,
after laying the note on Daphne's plate, I slipped out of the French
windows and into the bushes as I heard William come down the passage. A
quarter of an hour later I was back again in the wood.

She was sitting on a log, swinging her legs to and fro. When I took
off my coat and hat, she clapped her hands in delight.

"Wait till you see the nose," said I.

When presently I slipped that French monstrosity into place, she
laughed so immoderately that her brown hair broke loose from under the
black silk cap and tumbled gloriously about her shoulders.

"There now," she said. "See what you've done."

"Good for the nose," said I.

"It's all very well to say that, but it took me ages to get it all
under the wretched cap this morning."

"I shouldn't put it back again if I were you. You see," I went on
earnestly, "everybody will know you're a girl, Judy dear."

"Why, Punch?" She drew aside the dust coat and revealed the wide
Pierrot trousers she was wearing.

"Priceless," I admitted. "But what I really love are your feet."

She looked concernedly at her little, high-heeled shoes.

I stooped to flick the dust from their patent leather.

"Thank you, Punch. What shall I do about my hair, then?"

"Wear it in a pig-tail. I'll plait it for you. It'll be worth another
sovereign to the Bananas."

"If you put it like that--" she said slowly.

"I do, Judy."

If the suggestion was not prompted by motives which were entirely
disinterested, I think I may be forgiven.

"I say, Judy," I said a little later, pausing unnecessarily in my work,
and making pretence to comb with my fingers the tresses as yet
ungathered into the plait.

"Yes? What a long time you are!"

Well, there was a knot.

She tried to look round into my face at that, but I vigorously
unplaited about two inches, which seemed to satisfy her. For me, I
thought of Penelope and her web and the wooers, and smiled.

"Well, what is it, Punch?"

"About the mask."

"No good!"

"But, Judy--"

For the next two minutes I did a little listening. When she paused for
breath:

"Have some ham," I suggested.

"Bother the ham! Do you hear what I say?"

"I heard you bother the ham."

"Before that?"

"Something about a mask, was it?"

"Give me back my hair," she demanded.

"No, no,"