"Listen, stoop down, Uncle Beachey. Low down; now listen and I'll whisper," said Floss. Then to his amazement--he had expected only some childish confidence or complaint--she whispered into his ear the words, "Aunty Woma's going away." Beauchamp started back. "Roma is going away," he repeated. "Nonsense, Floss. You don't know what you're talking about." "I do, I do," exclaimed the child, in her eagerness to prove herself right, throwing all reserve to the winds, "she said so to mamma. I heard her, and mamma said she was good, and I know she's going." "How did you hear her? Where were you?" questioned Beauchamp. "I was under the sofa--in there, in mamma's room," said Floss, pointing in the direction of the boudoir. "My ball went in, and I went in too, and mamma thought I came out again, but I didn't. I hided under the sofa for nurse not to see me, and it was a long time--hours, I should think--before she finded me," she continued triumphantly. "But how did you hear your aunt was going away--did nurse tell you?" asked Captain Chancellor, somewhat mystified. "No, in course not," exclaimed Floss, contemptuously. "Nurse doesn't know. Aunty Woma came into the room and spoke lots to mamma. She said she would make something for mamma, but mamma wouldn't have it; and then she said she would go away, and mamma said she was good, but you would be angwy, and Aunty Woma said, `No; you wouldn't expeck.'" "`Wouldn't expect?' What can the child mean? Wasn't it _suspect_ she said, Floss?" a brilliant light flashing upon him. "Yes, suchpeck," agreed Floss. "It was suchpeck; and what could it be aunty said she'd make for mamma, Uncle Beachey?" she continued, evidently disposed now to regard her hearer as an interpreter of the jumble in her brain. "It was something like _satin flies_." Captain Chancellor stared at the child without speaking. He saw, or thought he at last saw, through it all. He turned to go, but a thought occurred to him. "Floss," he said, very impressively, "it wasn't good of you to listen to what your mamma and aunt were saying. They would be very angry if they knew." "Oh, don't tell. Uncle Beachey, you said you wouldn't tell nobody," said the little girl beseechingly. "I'm not going to tell. But remember, Floss, you must be sure not to tell any one else, not nurse or any one, do you hear? It doesn't matter for me, but other people might scold you." "Then I won't tell," decided Floss. "And do you think Aunty Woma will go away, Uncle Beachey? I hope she will. I like her best when she goes away, for then she can't call me a tiresome plague, and she bwings me a pwesent when she comes back."