a new victim for some time, when suddenly
Geraldine pinched her brother with eager satisfaction:

"Oh, Scott! there comes that boy I told you about!"

"What boy?"

"The one who asked me if I was too rich and proud to play with him. And
that must be his sister; they look alike."

"All right," said Scott; "we'll give them a volley. You take the nurse
and I'll fix the boy.... Ready.... Fire!"

The ambuscade was perfectly successful; the nurse halted and looked up,
expressing herself definitely upon the manners and customs of the twins;
the boy, who appeared to be amazingly agile, seized a swinging wistaria
vine, clambered up the wall, and, clinging to the outside of the iron
railing, informed Scott that he would punch his head when a pleasing
opportunity presented itself.

"All right," retorted Scott; "come in and do it now."

"That's all very well for you to say when you know I can't climb over
this railing!"

"I'll tell you what I'll do," said Scott, thrilled at the chance of
another boy on the grounds even if he had to fight him; "I'll tell you
what!" sinking his voice to an eager whisper; "You run away from your
nurse as soon as you get into the Park and I'll be at the front door and
I'll let you in. Will you?"

"Oh, _please_!" whispered Geraldine; "and bring your sister, too!"

The boy stared at her knickerbockers. "Do _you_ want to fight my
sister?" he asked.

"I? Oh, no, no, no. You can fight Scott if you like, and your sister and
I will have such fun watching you. Will you?"

His nurse was calling him to descend, in tones agitated and peremptory;
the boy hesitated, scowled at Scott, looked uncertainly at Geraldine,
then shot a hasty and hostile glance at the interior of the mysterious
Seagrave estate. Curiosity overcame him; also, perhaps, a natural desire
for battle.

"Yes," he said to Scott, "I'll come back and punch your head for you."

And very deftly, clinging like a squirrel to the pendant wistaria, he
let himself down into the street again.

The Seagrave twins, intensely excited, watched them as far as Fifth
Avenue, then rapidly drawing on their shoes and stockings, scrambled
down to the shrubbery and raced for the house. Through it they passed
like a double whirlwind; feeble and perfunctory resistance was offered
by their nurses.

"Get out of my way!" said Geraldine fiercely; "do you think I'm going to
miss the first chance for some fun that I've ever had in all my life?"

At the same