Pam went to the door with her sister after lunch, and stood shivering upon the top step while they exchanged farewells. She herself attended only the morning school, and was apt to find the afternoons rather lonely when the twins were out, and Betty was absorbed in her studies. "Come back quickly," she pleaded. "Do come back quickly, and 'muse me!" and Jill nodded a bright assent. "I'll amuse you finely--when I come!" She pranced off, tossing back her hair, and swinging her satchel to and fro, while Pam looked after her with admiring envy. How lovely to be old like that--quite old--old enough to do your own hair, and walk to school by yourself! Pam heaved another sigh, and glanced wistfully up and down the Square--the look of a captive who longs to escape. A policeman was strolling along his beat. Emily and Hannah were taking their places in the old-fashioned barouche preparatory to starting on their afternoon amble. Just across the road old "All a-growing all a- blowing" was standing by his barrow, loudly urging a passer-by to purchase one of his plants. Pam looked longingly at the branching palms as his guttural accents came to her ear-- "Buy a palm, lidy, won't you, lidy? Very cheap--cheaper than you could buy 'em anywhere in the City. If you've got such a thing as an old dress or a pair of trousers, of the master's, I'd allow you 'ansome for them. I'd rather have clothes nor money. I'm a married man, lidy, with a fam'ly of children--" "Pam, Pam," cried Mrs Trevor's voice, "don't stand out there, darling. It's far too cold. Come in here to me." Pam obediently shut the door, and settled down to the afternoon duties of plain sewing and practice, which her soul abhorred. It was characteristic of her that she never rebelled against authority, nor expressed her distaste in words. A meek, uncomplaining little martyr, she sat perched on the piano-stool, wrestling with the "Blue Bells of Scotland," the while the wildest rebellion surged within her soul. "I wish pianos had never been born! I wish I'd been made a boy. When I'm a lidy," (unconscious intonation of "All a-blowing!") "I'll have no pianos in the house, nor no needles, and my little girls shall 'muse themselves however they like. The--Blue--Bells--of--Scot--land... It doesn't go a bit nice in the bass! Don't believe I shall ever get it right if I live a hundred thousand years?" The moment school was over Jill made a rush for the dressing-room, scrambled into her outdoor clothes, and hurried to the appointed meeting-place, where Jack found her a few minutes later. It was already dusk, and they set off at a brisk trot towards the mansions in which General Digby's flat was situated, in great hopes of finding that gentleman at home and disengaged.