"He'll do! Mr. Staines, who is very understanding, will get someone to send it from the Argentine, and that will be true. 'Three hundred pounds from a friend in the Argentine for musical training in Germany,' and they'll jump to conclusions!"
"And you want me to abet you in the falsehood?"
"Of course. You will have to belong to the 'poor little disciples,' as St. Francis liked his brothers to be called, and they had to do all sorts of queer commissions."
"Did the 'poor little disciples' have to swallow bare-faced deceptions?"
"I think so, for they couldn't have liked all they had to do and yet they said they did! It is a farce, isn't it? Oh, good-bye, there's Uncle Evas coming, and I'll just walk back with him. He's a little down to-day. Guess he's had to make head against a breeze. He's quite ready for a 'poor little disciple.'"
Lewis could not help laughing. Something in Toney carried all before her, because she never let self get into her plans. Sir Evas brightened up as he met his niece.
"Hulloa! where are you two going? I've had a day among the farms. There's a lot of repairs to be done and they think I must see them all myself."
"So you should, uncle! Tell you what, we'll just titivate them all up and you'll have no more trouble for years."
"My dear Toney! It's much better done by degrees, doesn't drain the property so much."
"We'll do it now, uncle, and all at once. You always say, 'make hay while the sun shines,' and that's what I am doing."
"Toney has been making hay with a vengeance to-day, Sir Evas," and Lewis told the history of the _avant garde_.
"My dear girl, the house will be besieged! You see, Lewis, what a mistake the General made," said Sir Evas laughing, "did your aunt---- Ehem--bear it well?"
"It shan't happen again, uncle. We'll tabulate hard to-morrow. It all comes of tabulating! Now pretend you know nothing about it. Where ignorance is bliss. Good-bye, Mr. Waycott, and thank you awfully much. Now, Uncle Evas, we must quick trot home, it's Chum's last evening. Remember to be very nice and grateful to her. She's done a lot of hard work you know."
"So have we all, Toney! However, I'll compose a speech on the way home. Good night, Waycott, hope you don't want speeches."