"Yes!" he cried.

"And wouldn't it surprise mother if she knew! Mother, sailing so unsuspiciously along on the Plutonia!" He gave a chortle of delight.

"But oh, I say, Matilda," he cried suddenly, "you mustn't write her!" Mrs.De Peyster did not answer.
"We don't want her to know yet," Jack insisted; "that's one reason we've done the whole thing so quietly." Then he added jocosely: "If you tell, there's a thing I might tell her about you.
About--u'm--about you and William.

Want me to do that--eh?
Better promise not to tell." "I won't," whispered Mrs.De Peyster.
"It's a bargain, then.

But there's something else that would surprise her, too.