and French plums in ornamental boxes with silk and velvet and gilding on
them. They were called prunes, but the prunes you buy at the grocer's
are quite different. But now there is seldom anything nice brought from
London, and the turkey and the prune people have forgotten Father's
address.

'How _can_ we restore those beastly fallen fortunes?' said Oswald. 'We've
tried digging and writing and princesses and being editors.'

'And being bandits,' said H. O.

'When did you try that?' asked Dora quickly. 'You know I told you it
was wrong.'

'It wasn't wrong the way we did it,' said Alice, quicker still, before
Oswald could say, 'Who asked you to tell us anything about it?' which
would have been rude, and he is glad he didn't. 'We only caught Albert-
next-door.'

'Oh, Albert-next-door!' said Dora contemptuously, and I felt more
comfortable; for even after I didn't say, 'Who asked you, and cetera,' I
was afraid Dora was going to come the good elder sister over us. She
does that a jolly sight too often.

Dicky looked up from the paper he was reading and said, 'This sounds
likely,' and he read out--

'L100 secures partnership in lucrative business for sale of
useful patent. L10 weekly. No personal attendance necessary.
Jobbins, 300, Old Street Road.'