"Come and speak to Mrs.Dacre and tell us what you have been doing!" But Tessa would only stand on one leg and stare, till Stella put forth a friendly hand and beckoned her to a corner of her _charpoy_.
She went then, still staring with wide round eyes of intensest blue that gazed out of a somewhat pinched little face of monkey-like intelligence.
"What have you and Tommy been doing ?" Stella asked.
"Oh, just hobnobbing," said Tessa.

"Same as Mother and the Rajah." "Have some cake!" said Tommy.

"And tell us all about the mongoose!" "Oh, Scooter! He's such a darling! Shall I bring him to see you ?" asked Tessa, lifting those wonderful unchildlike eyes of hers to Stella's.
"You'd love him! I know you would.

He talks--almost.

Captain Monck gave him to me.