inly shouldn't trouble about
a spot of a child who ought to have been kept in the nursery. Of
course it's ridiculous even to begin explaining, isn't it? The thing's
obvious. No, I felt that Dorothy should be taught a lesson; that is
all. I thought it would be good for her.

"That settles Dorothy," I said deliberately. "Now we can go on
reading."

"But she wants me to go and look for her," explained Christopher.

"Then let her want," I said shortly. "We can't always
be---- Christopher, we'll have a game with Dorothy. We'll stop where we
are and let her look for herself."

Christopher chuckled. "She'll be awfully angry," he said uncertainly.

"Good!" said I.

"Cooee!" came a voice from the far-away. We laughed guiltily to
ourselves and settled down in the chair. The scheme proceeded
according to plan.

After sundry shrieks and screeches and whistles Dorothy grew impatient
and adopted bolder tactics.

"You can't find me," she called hopefully.

I felt that it was time for a little encouragement.

"I wonder where she can be?" I said loudly.

There was a long silence. At last Dorothy grew desperate. "Look under
the armchair in the hall," she called.

Christopher and I smiled to ourselves. Then suddenly we heard her
creeping towards the door. I blame Christopher for what followed.

"She's coming," he whispered excitedly. "Let's hide."

There was no time to think. We slipped rapidly under the table. A
ridiculous thing to do, of course; so undignified. I kick myself when
I think of it, but at the time---- Well, it was Christopher's fault for
getting excited. So there we were squashed under the table when the
door opened and Dorothy appeared.

"I don't believe----" she began, and then stopped. "Why, they're
not here," she gasped. And then Christopher spoilt everything by
spluttering. I strangled him at once and we hoped that Dorothy hadn't
heard. We saw her legs standing very still by the door. Then they
moved quickly round the table to the fireplace. Christopher and I held
our breaths and waited. We saw that Dorothy was pulling our chair
round to face the fire. Then she sat herself in it and all we could
see was the back of the chair.

There was a great silence. Christopher and I looked at each other and
decided that something must be done.

I cleared my throat quietly. "Cooee!" I fluted.

Dorothy began to sing a hymn in a loud voice.

And then Cecilia came into the room.

Now Cecilia is Christopher's