ered, which made it
necessary to reconstruct certain lines or introduce a new word for an
old. As Philippa sat darning stockings in the dining-room, she smiled
to herself at the sound of the disconnected snatches of song and the
monotonous repetition of airs which were in such strange contrast to the
classical music in which Hope delighted. All the same, the refrains
were very catching; and when the "Giant's Song" was practised in its
turn, Philippa found herself instinctively swelling the chorus, and
emphasising the last words of the lines in merry, schoolgirl fashion:

"Whether he be alive, or whether he be _dead_,
I'll have his _bones_ to make my _bread_!"

At lunch-time author and composer made their appearance, rather blue as
to complexion and red as to fingertips--for the luxury of a fire in the
drawing-room could not be indulged in before three o'clock at the
earliest--but jubilantly pleased with themselves, and with the
improvements which they had accomplished.

The next thing on the programme was to have a number of circulars
lithographed for distribution, and for these Hope proposed to arrange
that very afternoon, Madge accompanying her, the better to give
instructions. "I can pay for them out of uncle's present," she
explained smilingly. "He drove down to the lodge with me, and slipped a
note in my bag in his usual fussy, disconnected fashion. `Something to
pay your fare, my dear--just to pay your fare! Serious thing to live
upon capital! Mustn't allow you to be out of pocket by visiting us.' I
thought it would be a couple of sovereigns just to cover expenses, and
forgot to open the envelope until just now when I was getting ready for
lunch and wanted something out of the bag. Then I came across it, and
what do you think I found? A ten-pound note! Wasn't it sweet of the
little mannikin?"

"Very decent. Fancy your forgetting about it! I should have torn it
open the moment his back was turned," cried Madge in amazement, while
Hope sighed at the remembrance of how her thoughts had been occupied.
It was a relief to be up and doing, and she started on the important
expedition directly after lunch. Theo turned out also in search of
adventure, while the busy housekeeper toiled away at her basket of
mending, building castles in the air about that happy time when her
fledglings would be full-grown geniuses, and poverty and anxiety known
no more.

Three o'clock struck, and almost at the same mom