_I_ have
been Jericho, and _you_ have marched round. I have been Jericho in my
own garden, and have refreshed the invading army with hot
buttered-toast and explosive buns. Now it is my turn to take the
initiative. Jenkins having removed the tea, and it being too hot for
tennis, I am going to ask you to sit still, while I explain to you
quite clearly why I must send you away at the close of the seventh day."

She tried to hide her extreme trepidation beneath a tone of gay banter.
She hoped it did not sound as forced to him as it did to herself. The
Boy's clear eyes were fixed upon her. Had he noticed the trembling of
her hands, before she steadied them by laying hold of the arms of her
chair?

"So now for a serious talk, if you please, Sir Boy."

"Excuse me, dear," said the Boy, "the Israelites were not allowed to
parley."

"You need not parley," said Miss Charteris; "you are requested merely
to listen. You may smoke if you like. I understand cigarette smoke is
fatal to black-beetles. Possibly it has the same effect on garden
insects. Russell tells me we are overrun by snails. Smoke, Boy, if
you like."

"Dear," said the Boy, his head thrown back, his hands thrust deep into
his coat pockets, "I never have the smallest desire to smoke in your
presence. I should feel as if I were smoking in church."

"Oh, you dear amazing altogether absurd boy! Don't look at me like
that. And don't say such unexpected things, or I shall be unable to
parley satisfactorily."

"When _I_ went to school," remarked the Boy, "and you were an engaging
little girl in a pigtail, I was taught to say: 'Do not look at me
_thus_'; at least, masters frequently appeared to think it necessary to
make that remark to me. I can't imagine why; because they were not
specially worth looking at; excepting that a very large person, in a
very angry condition, always presented a spectacle of extreme interest
to my juvenile mind. It was so fascinating to watch and see what they
would do next. They were like those wooden monkeys and bears you buy
in Swiss shops, don't you know? You pull a hanging string, and their
legs and arms jump about unexpectedly. One always felt a really angry
grown-up was a mere puppet. Unseen fingers were pulling the string;
and it was funny to watch. There was an exciting element of danger,
too; because sometimes a hand jerked up and boxed your ears."

"Little Boy Blue," she said, "it must have been quite impossib