subject that evening, but Eddie and Gertie were deep in one of their
conferences until nearly bedtime. It would never have suggested itself
to her to seek any information from the objectionable Frank, so under
cover of a heated discussion between him and Trotter, she appealed to
Reggie.

"What does it mean to be weeded out?"

"Oh, Lord, I don't know! Kicked out, I suppose. Isn't there something in
the Bible about tares and wheat?"

"Nonsense; it doesn't mean that. I'd forgotten, by the way, how strong
you were on Biblical references. Do you remember your discussion about
Sarah and Benjamin with Agnes Pringle?"

"Of course I do. And I completely stumped her; don't you recollect?"

"Goose! She only wanted to make you look it up for yourself. But being
'weeded out' is something disastrous that happens to the farmers here,
like having the crops frozen."

"Well, it hasn't happened since I've been here, anyway. But I'll bet you
a bob it means kicked out. I tell you, I'll ask Gertie if she doesn't
think that I ought to be weeded out."

"You'd better not," laughed Nora.

The first open quarrel had taken place one day at dinner.

The night before Nora had proposed making her first attempt at baking