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THE GOLDEN AGE talking,' said Charlotte. 'We don't like it; we're afraid—Selina too! She'll be here in a minute. She's putting on her new dressing-gown she's so proud of.'

His arms round his knees, Edward cogitated deeply until Selina appeared, barefooted, and looking slim and tall in the new dressing-gown. Then, 'Look here,' he exclaimed; 'now we're all together, I vote we go and explore!'

'You're always wanting to explore,' I said. 'What on earth is there to explore for in this house?'

'Biscuits!' said the inspired Edward.

'Hooray! Come on!' chimed in Harold, sitting up suddenly. He had been awake all the time, but had been shamming asleep, lest he should be fagged to do anything.

It was indeed a fact, as Edward had remembered, that our thoughtless elders occasionally left the biscuits out, a prize for the night-walking adventurer with nerves of steel.

Edward tumbled out of bed, and pulled a baggy old pair of knickerbockers over his bare shanks. Then he girt himself with a belt, into 212