14 MADGE’S MISTAKE,

of the drawing-room door, and once more I
breathe freely. My first move is to emerge
from my hiding-place, and seeing Tom lick-
ing the wet paw I go up to him and say,
“You’ve saved me this time, Tom, and if
Father means what he says I'll lock you up
in the barn. You'd be safe there, for he’d
never trouble to look for you if you happened
to be out of his way.” Tom purrs gratefully,
and after waiting for the sound of the hoofs
of Father's horse dying in the distance I con-
sider it safe to venture forth once more. I
do not choose the drawing-room, however,
for the garden strikes me as being the safest
haven of refuge; that is, if I can get into
my favourite tree without meeting Jack, who
is the most accomplished of teazes. The fact
is, 1 must think over this affair seriously, for
if the roses are not forthcoming for the show
there will be what Jack would call “a nice
shindy” (1 like Jack’s way of expressing him-
self—it’s short and to the point).

Having arrived at this conclusion I find I
have also arrived at the bottom of the con-

4