‘If they had been confederates they would have sworn they knew nothing about it,’ said Dolores, with piercing conviction.

‘Do you know any more tricks?’ asked Mrs. Jallatt hurriedly.

Rollo did not. He hinted that he might have changed the three peaches into something else, but Agnes had already converted one into girl-food, so nothing more could be done in that direction.

‘I know a game,’ said the elder Wrotsley heavily, ‘where the fellows go out of the room, and think of some character in history; then they come back and act him, and the girls have to guess who it’s meant for.’

‘I’m afraid I must be going,’ said Rollo to his hostess.

‘Your carriage won’t be here for another twenty minutes,’ said Mrs. Jallatt.

‘It’s such a fine evening I think I’ll walk and meet it.’

‘It’s raining rather steadily at present. You’ve just time to play that historical game.’

‘We haven’t heard Dolores recite,’ said Rollo desperately; as soon as he had said it he realized his mistake. Confronted with the alternative of ‘Locksley Hall’, public opinion declared unanimously for the history game.

Rollo played his last card. In an undertone meant apparently for the Wrotsley boy, but carefully pitched to reach Agnes, he observed:

‘All right, old man; we’ll go and finish those chocolates we left in the library.’

‘I think it’s only fair that the girls should take their turn in going out,’ exclaimed Agnes briskly. She was great on fairness.

‘Nonsense,’ said the others; ‘there are too many of us.’

‘Well, four of us can go. I’ll be one of them.’

And Agnes darted off towards the library, followed by three less eager damsels.

Rollo sank into a chair and smiled ever so faintly at the Wrotsleys, just a momentary baring of the teeth; an otter, escaping from the fangs of the hounds into the safety of a deep pool, might have given a similar demonstration of its feelings.

From the library came the sound of moving furniture. Agnes was leaving nothing unturned in her quest for the mythical chocolates. And then came a more blessed sound, wheels crunching wet gravel.

‘It has been a most enjoyable evening,’ said Rollo to his hostess.