"Boots? Of course?"

"Certainly. He always comes first--just like Captain Selwyn with you."

"Like Captain Selwyn with me," she repeated absently; "certainly;
Captain Selwyn should be first, everything else second. But how did you
find out that, Drina?"

"Why, anybody can see that," said the child contemptuously; "you are as
fast friends with Uncle Philip as I am with Boots. And why you don't
marry him I can't see--unless you're not old enough. Are you?"

"Yes. . . . I am old enough, dear."

"Then why don't you? If I was old enough to marry Boots I'd do it. Why
don't you?"

"I don't know," said Miss Erroll, as though speaking to herself.

Drina glanced at her, then flourished her be-ribboned whip, which
whistling threat had no perceptible effect on the fat, red, Norwegian
pony.

"I'll tell you what," said the child, "if you don't ask Uncle Philip
pretty soon somebody will ask him first, and you'll be too late. As soon
as I saw Boots I knew that I wanted him for myself, and I told him so.
He said he was very glad I had spoken, because he was expecting a
proposal by wireless from the young Sultana-elect of Leyte. Now," added
the child with satisfaction, "she can't have him. It's better to be in
time, you see."

Eileen nodded: "Yes, it is better to be in plenty of time. You can't
tell what Sultana may forestall you."

"So you'll tell him, won't you?" inquired Drina with business-like
briskness.

Miss Erroll looked absently at her: "Tell who what?"

"Uncle Philip--that you're going to marry him when you're old enough."

"Yes--when I'm old enough--I'll tell him, Drina."

"Oh, no; I mean you'll marry him when you're old enough, but you'd
better tell him right away."

"I see; I'd better speak immediately. Thank you, dear, for suggesting
it."

"You're quite welcome," said the child seriously; "and I hope you'll be
as happy as I am."

"I hope so," said Eileen as the pony-cart drew up by the veranda and a
groom took the pony's head.

Luncheon being the children's hour, Miss Erroll's silence remained
unnoticed in the jolly uproar; besides, Gerald and Boots were discussing
the huge house-party, lantern fete, and dance which the Orchils were
giving that night for the younger sets; and Selwyn, too, seemed to take
unusual interest in the discussion, though Eileen's part in the
conference was limited to an occasional nod or monosyllable.

Drina was wild to go and furious at not having been asked, but when
Boot