"The biggest in Tergou," growled Giles, fastening on again.

"Oh, indeed!" said Kate drily.

This piece of unwonted satire launched, and Giles not visibly blasted,
she sat down quietly and cried.

Her mother came in almost at that moment, and Giles hurled himself under
the table, and there glared.

"What is to do now?" said the dame sharply. Then turning her experienced
eyes from Kate to Giles, and observing the position he had taken up, and
a sheepish expression, she hinted at cuffing of ears.

"Nay, mother," said the girl; "it was but a foolish word Giles spoke.
I had not noticed it at another time; but I was tired and in care for
Gerard, you know."

"Let no one be in care for me," said a faint voice at the door, and in
tottered Gerard, pale, dusty, and worn out; and amidst uplifted hands
and cries of delight, curiosity, and anxiety mingled, dropped exhausted
into the nearest chair.

Beating Rotterdam, like a covert, for Margaret, and the long journey
afterwards, had fairly knocked Gerard up. But elastic youth soon
revived, and behold him the centre of an eager circle. First of all they
must hear about the prizes. Then Gerard told them he had been admitted
to see the competitors' works, all laid out in an enormous hall before
the judges pronounced.