The game was keen and exciting. Jane-Anne flew about on her slender stockinged feet, and in spite of the stiff brown dress, there was something singularly fleet and graceful in her movements. The pleasant pinky light had already changed to grey when from the house there came the sound of a hand-bell rung vigorously. "Mercy!" exclaimed Edmund, "that’s for us to wash. Mrs. Dew must be home and it’s nearly supper-time." Montagu was already half-way to the house when Jane-Anne caught Edmund by the arm, exclaiming, "Oh, let me get my boots. Don’t go without me, and don’t say I took them off. I don’t know what Aunt’d say. I’m sure she’ll think it forward of me to play with you." "Rubbish," said Edmund. "Hurry up. We asked you, and I hope you’ll come often. You’d learn to chuck up a ball in time, and your running’s simply ripping." "Can the princess one throw balls?" Jane-Anne asked as she laced a boot at lightning speed. "I don’t know. I shouldn’t think so; she’s a very little kid, you know." "I should like to see her; is she like a princess, really?" "Well, she is rather. She has a demandly sort of way as if she expected everybody to do as she likes. You could see her if you came to-morrow morning. They’re coming then, I know." "I’d love to, but what would aunt say? I’m certain she wouldn’t let me; not in the morning when she’s so busy." "You come to the front door and I’ll let you in myself and take you up to the attic. She’s certain to want to go back there. She doesn’t seem to care for gardens." "Oh, I do," cried Jane-Anne; "gardens are lovelly; but I’ll come," she added excitedly. "I’ll wait across the road, then you can see me from the window and let me in. Mind you don’t forget." They ran back to the house and Edmund escorted Jane-Anne as far as the kitchen, where Mrs. Dew was standing at the fireplace dishing up. "Jane-Anne came to see you, Mrs. Dew," Edmund announced loudly from the doorway, "but you’d just gone, so we asked her in to wait till you came back." Mrs. Dew turned hastily and beheld her niece standing just behind her. "But I’ve been back over an hour," Mrs. Dew exclaimed. "Wherever have you been since, Jane-Anne?" "We asked her to play cricket with us," Edmund explained. "We never heard you come in. Good-bye, Jane-Anne, I must go and wash." Wagging his curly head meaningly in token of the assignation for the morrow, Edmund departed and Jane-Anne was left face to face with her aunt. "Well!" that good woman ejaculated. "You’ve given me a pretty turn. I couldn’t think where you was gone; evening and all, and then to think you’ve been all this time playing with the young gentlemen like one of theirselves, and me never so much as dreaming where you was. What possessed you to come at all, Jane-Anne?" "I was lonely, Aunt Martha, I wanted to see you."