affair with Sir Bedivere. It was just how he would have behaved
himself.

Ah! yes, admitted Malvina. She had "liked" him. He was always so--
so "excellent."

"But he was not--none of them were my own people, my own dear
companions." The little cloud had settled down again.

It was Bruno who recalled the three of them to the period of
contemporary history.

Polley the cowman's first duty in the morning was to let Bruno loose
for a run. He arrived panting and breathless, and evidently
offended at not having been included in the escapade. He could have
given them both away quite easily if he had not been the most
forgiving of black-and-tan collies. As it was, he had been worrying
himself crazy for the last half-hour, feeling sure they had
forgotten the time. "Don't you know it's nearly six o'clock? That
in less than half an hour Jane will be knocking at your doors with
glasses of hot milk, and will probably drop them and scream when she
finds your beds empty and the window wide open." That is what he
had intended should be his first words, but on scenting Malvina they
went from him entirely. He gave her one look and flopped down flat,
wriggling towards her, whining and wagging his tail at the same
time. Malvina acknowledged his homage by laughing and patting his
head with her foot, and that sent him into the seventh heaven of
delight. They all four descended the hill together and parted at
the orchard gate. The twins expressed a polite but quite sincere
hope that they would have the pleasure of seeing Malvina again; but