And you know perfectly there is no use in laying down the law in mother's house." The three young people were now standing in the hall, and Clara tripped timidly forward.
"We want dinner as quickly as possible, Clara," said Mabel.

"Come, Loftus, let us take you to your room." That night the choicely served repast was less meagre than usual.

Caller herring graced the board in abundance, and even Loftus did not despise these, when really fresh and cooked to perfection.

The hash of New Zealand mutton, however, which followed, was not so much to this fastidious young officer's taste, but quantities of fine strawberries, supplemented by a jug of rich cream, put him once more into a good humor.

He did not know that Kate had spent one of her very scarce sixpences on the cream, and that the girls had walked a mile-and-a-half through the hot sun that morning to fetch it.
The decanters of wine did not only do duty as ornaments that evening, and as the black coffee which followed was quite to Loftus' taste, he forgot the New Zealand mutton, or, at least, determined not to speak on the subject before the next morning.
After Mabel went to bed that night Kate asked her brother what the fresh scrape was about.