Page:The Wouldbegoods.djvu/348

 "And they're sitting on a seat under a tree on a little lawn, and she's got her head on his shoulder, and he's holding her hand. I never saw any one look so silly in all my born," Dicky said.

"It's sickening," Denny said, trying to look very manly with his legs wide apart.

"I don't know," Oswald whispered. "I suppose it wasn't Albert's uncle?"

"Not much," Dicky briefly replied.

"Then don't you see it's all right. If she's going on like that with this other fellow, she'll want to marry him, and Albert's uncle is safe. And we've really done an unselfish action without having to suffer for it afterwards." With a stealthy movement Oswald rubbed his hands as he spoke in real joyfulness. We decided that we had better bunk unnoticed. But we had reckoned without Martha. She had strolled off limping to look about her a bit in the shrubbery. "Where's Martha?" Dora suddenly said.

"She went that way," pointingly remarked H. O.

"Then fetch her back, you young duffer! What did you let her go for?" Oswald said; "and look sharp. Don't make a row."

He went. A minute later we heard a hoarse squeak from Martha—the one she always gives when suddenly collared from behind—and a little squeal in a lady-like voice, and a man say "Hallo!" and then we knew that H. O. had once more rushed in where angels might have thought twice about it. We hurried to the fatal spot, but it was