Page:Zodiac stories by Blanche Mary Channing.pdf/202

Rh mother admitted, smiling, "but you can go over the little bit you know already, and learn a few phrases, and so feel rather more at home than if you knew nothing at all of his language. Your father and I wanted you to improve your French particularly on this trip, and we have not done much about it yet, have we?"

Ellie blushed; she was not fond of lessons, and she disliked languages especially.

"Don't you suppose he talks any English?" she asked.

"I don't know, dear. It seems to me an excellent idea for you to teach him English, and for him to teach you French!"

"That might be rather fun," said Ellie, with a brightening look.

So she bent bravely to her French Reader, and by dinner-time had learned a page of "polite phrases." Her mother was much pleased at seeing her work in