Tell us some more about Captain Monck's mongoose instead!"

Tessa frowned momentarily. Such nursery discipline was something of an
insult to her eight years' dignity, but in a second she sent a dazzling
smile to her hostess, accepting the rebuff. "All right, Aunt Mary, I'll
bring him to see you to-morrow, shall I?" she said brightly. "Mrs. Dacre
will like that too. It'll be something to amuse us when Tommy's gone."

Tommy looked across with a grin. "Yes, keep your spirits up!" he said.
"It's dull work with the boys away, isn't it, Aunt Mary? And Scooter is
a most sagacious animal--almost as intelligent as Peter the Great who
coils himself on Stella's threshold every night as if he thought the
bogeyman was coming to spirit her away. He's developing into a habit,
isn't he Stella? You'd better be careful."

Stella smiled her faint, tired smile. "I like to have him there," she
said. "I am not nervous, of course, but he is a friend."

"You'll never shake him off," predicted Tommy. "He comes of a romantic
stock. Hullo! Here is his high mightiness with the mail! Look at the
sparkle in Aunt Mary's eyes! Did you ever see the like? She expects to
draw a prize evidently."

He stretched a leisurely arm and took the letter from the salver that
the Indian extended. It was for Mrs. Ralston, and she received it
blushing like an eager girl.

"Why does Aunt Mary look like that?" piped Tessa, ever observant. "It's
only from the Major. Mother never looks like that when Daddy writes to
her."