I'll give you a rub-down my Imp." He
obeyed, with many profuse expressions of gratitude.

"Have you got any Aunties?" he inquired, as I laboured upon his miry
person.

"No," I answered, shaking my head; "unfortunately mine are all Aunts
and that is vastly different."

"Oh," said the Imp, regarding me with a puzzled expression; "are they
nice--I mean do they ever read to out of the history book, and help you
to sail boats, an' paddle?"

"Paddle?" I repeated

"Yes. My Auntie Lisbeth does. The other day we got up awfull' early
an' went for a walk an' we came to the river, so we took off our shoes
an' stockings an' we paddled; it was ever so jolly, you know. An' when
Auntie wasn't looking I found a frog an' put it in her stocking."

"Highly strategic, my Imp! Well?"

"It was awful funny," he said, smiling dreamily. "When she went to put
it on she gave a little high-up scream like Dorothy does when I pinch
her a bit--an' then she throwed them both away, 'cause she was afraid
there was frogs in both of them. Then she put on her shoes without any
stockings at all, so I hid them."

"Where?" I cried eagerly.

"Reggie!" called a voice some distance away--a voice I recognised with
a thrill. "Reggie!"

"Imp, would you like half a crown?"

"'Course I would; but you might clean my back, please," and he began
rubbing himself feverishly with his cap, after the fashion of a
scrubbing brush.

"Look here," I said, pulling out the coin, "tell me where you hid
them--quick--and I'll give you this." The Imp held out his hand, but
even as he did so the bushes parted and Lisbeth stood before us. She
gave a little, low cry of surprise at sight of me, and then frowned.

"You?" she exclaimed.

"Yes," I answered, raising my cap. And there I stopped, trying
frantically to remember the speech I had so carefully prepared--the
greeting which was to have explained my conduct and disarmed her
resentment at the very outset. But rack my brain as I would, I could
think of nothing but the reproach in her eyes--her disdainful mouth and
chin--and that one haunting phrase:

"'I suppose I am become the object of your bitterest scorn by now?'" I
found myself saying.

"My aunt informed me of--of everything, and naturally--"

"Let me explain," I began.

"Really, it is not at all necessary."

"But, Lisbeth, I must--I insist--"

"Reginald," she said, turning toward the Imp, who was still busy with
his cap, "it's nearly tea-time,