Phyllis screamed and begged for mercy—her last ally had deserted her. ‘Promise!’ cried the boys. ‘Oh, don’t!’ was all her answer. Reginald caught her and held her fast, Maurice advanced upon her, she struggled, and gave a scream of real terror. The matter was no joke to any one but Reginald, for Maurice was very angry and really meant to frighten her. ‘Hands off, boys, I will not have her bullied,’ said Claude, half rising. Maurice gave a violent start, Reginald looked round laughing, and exclaimed, ‘Who would have thought of Claude sneaking there?’ and Phyllis ran to the protecting arm, which he stretched out. To her great surprise, he drew her to him, and kissed her forehead, saying, ‘Well done, Phyl!’ ‘Oh, I knew he was not going to hurt me,’ said Phyllis, still panting from the struggle. ‘To be sure not,’ said Maurice, ‘I only meant to have a little fun.’ Claude, with his arm still round his sister’s waist, gave Maurice a look, expressing, ‘Is that the truth?’ and Reginald tumbled head over heels, exclaiming, ‘I would not have been Phyl just them.’ Ada now came running up to them, saying, ‘Maurice and Redgie, you are to come in; Mr. and Mrs. Burnet heard your voices, and begged to see you, because they never saw you last holidays.’ ‘More’s the pity they should see us now,’ said Maurice. ‘I shall not go,’ said Reginald. ‘Papa is there, and he sent for you,’ said Ada. ‘Plague,’ was the answer. ‘See what you get by making such a row,’ said Claude. ‘If you had been as orderly members of society as I am—’ ‘Oh, but Claude,’ said Ada, ‘papa told me to see if I could find you. Dear Claude, I wish,’ she proceeded, taking his hand, and looking engaging, ‘I wish you would put your arm round me as you do round Phyl.’ ‘You are not worth it, Ada,’ said Reginald, and Claude did not contradict him. CHAPTER VIII THE BROTHERS ‘But smiled to hear the creatures he had known So long were now in class and order shown— Genus and species. “Is it meet,” said he, “This creature’s name should one so sounding be— ’Tis but a fly, though first-born of the spring, Bombylius Majus, dost thou call the thing?” IT was not till Sunday, that Lily’s eager wish was fulfilled, of introducing her friend and her brothers; but, as she might have foreseen, their first meeting did not make the perfections of either party very clear to the other. Claude never spoke to strangers more than he could help, Maurice and Reginald were in the room only a short time; so that the result of Miss Weston’s observations, when communicated in reply to Lily’s eager inquiries, was only that Claude was very like his father and eldest brother, Reginald very handsome, and Maurice looked like a very funny fellow.