I do, after a good preliminary smoke. HERBIE and JACK present
themselves at the same time. I send them off to the Governess, and
lock the door; Governess sends them back to me; result is, that they
play about outside library all morning, so that we (ERNEST and I) can
hardly hear ourselves speak.

Put ERNIE through his paces. Ask him what he knows. Process (I
fear) incidentally reveals to him what _I_ know. Hear him at lunch
explaining to HERBIE (with whom he has made friends again) that I am
"not bad at sums, but a shocking duffer at Latin." Pretend not to hear
the remark.

_Afternoon_.--Find the three boys, _and two girls_, all
waiting--apparently--to go out for a country walk with me!

What! Two-and-two! Never!

"But--er--" I say, addressing the little girls, in a pleasant tone,
"aren't you going out with your Governess?"

"Oh, yes"--they both exclaim at once--"_she's coming too_!"

The situation is becoming more and more embarrassing. I can't, in
politeness, refuse the Governess's society for a walk. I solve the
problem, temporarily, by telling all five children to run up to Miss
MYRTLE, and ask her which way she thinks we had better go.

They perform the commission with alacrity, which gives me the
opportunity of slipping out at back-door, and taking quiet ramble by
myself. _When_ will Paterfamilias himself turn up? I have not seen or