nk you're very good to forgive us, and we are really very,
very sorry. But we wanted to be like the children in the books--only
we never have the chances they have. Everything they do turns out all
right. But we _are_ sorry, very, very. And I know Oswald wasn't going to
take the half-sovereign. Directly you said that about a tip from an old
boy I began to feel bad inside, and I whispered to H. O. that I wished
we hadn't.'

Then Lord Tottenham stood up, and he looked like the Death of Nelson,
for he is clean shaved and it is a good face, and he said--

'Always remember never to do a dishonourable thing, for money or for
anything else in the world.'

And we promised we would remember. Then he took off his hat, and we took
off ours, and he went away, and we went home. I never felt so cheap in
all my life! Dora said, 'I told you so,' but we didn't mind even that so
much, though it was indeed hard to bear. It was what Lord Tottenham had
said about ungentlemanly. We didn't go on to the Heath for a week after
that; but at last we all went, and we waited for him by the bench. When
he came along Alice said, 'Please, Lord Tottenham, we have not been on
the Heath for a week, to be a punishment because you let us off. And we
have brought you a present each if you will take them to show you are
willing to make it up.'

He sat down on the bench, and we gave him our presents. Oswald gave him
a sixpenny compass--he bought it with my own money on purpose to give
him. Oswald always buys useful presents. The needle would not move after
I'd had it a day or two, but Lord Tottenham used to be an admiral, so
he will be able to make that go all right. Alice had made him a
shaving-case, with a rose worked on it. And H. O. gave him his
knife--the same one he once cut all the buttons off his best suit with.
Dicky gave him his prize, Naval Heroes, because it was the best thing he
had, and Noel gave him a piece of poetry he had made himself--

When sin and shame bow down the brow
Then people feel just like we do now.
We are so sorry with grief and pain
We never will be so ungentlemanly again.

Lord Tottenham seemed very pleased. He thanked us, and talked to us for
a bit, and when he said good-bye he said--

'All's fair weather now, mates,' and shook hands.

And whenever we meet him he nods to us, and if the girls are with us
he takes off his hat, so he can't really be going on thinking us
ungentlemanly now.

CHAPTER