At that Grandfather Pinner jumped as though he had been shot.

"Don't shout!" he cried. "What's the matter with the boy? Meringues!
What about 'em?"

"Oh, Aunt Josephine, must we go on?" groaned Cyril desperately.

"It's quite all right, dear boy," said Aunt Josephine, as though he and she
were at the dentist's together. "He'll understand in a minute." And she
whispered to Cyril, "He's getting a bit deaf, you know." Then she leaned
forward and really bawled at Grandfather Pinner, "Cyril only wanted to tell
you, father dear, that his father is still very fond of meringues."

Colonel Pinner heard that time, heard and brooded, looking Cyril up and
down.

"What an esstrordinary thing!" said old Grandfather Pinner. "What an
esstrordinary thing to come all this way here to tell me!"

And Cyril felt it was.

"Yes, I shall send Cyril the watch," said Josephine.

"That would be very nice," said Constantia. "I seem to remember last time
he came there was some little trouble about the time."


Chapter 3.X.

They were interrupted by Kate bursting through the door in her usual