"Rather. Tea would be saucy. Let me get it," and Billy swept into the house like a whirlwind. Frank saw that Jarman looked rather disturbed, and wondered what could be the reason. He guessed that he had learnt something relative to the Berrys from Natty, and was anxious to know what it was. But he could not question Eustace at the moment, therefore curbed his curiosity until a more seasonable time. Meantime Natty was paying compliments to Mildred. "You do look well, Miss Starth," he babbled in his inconsequent way--"and what a slapping day! We had an A1 dip. You should have come along, Mr. O'Neil." Frank suppressed a smile, thinking how soon his disguise would have vanished had he accepted this offer. "I have been more pleasantly engaged," he said; "here comes Billy and the tea." Billy was a first-rate hand at getting what he wanted. He brought a tray laden with strawberry jam, a large bowl of Devonshire cream, some hot cakes, and a fresh pot of tea. "You'll starve us out of house and home, Billy," said Mildred, when these were arranged before her. "What will Mrs. Perth say?" "She'd say eat well, and not too quickly," said Billy, selecting a cake, while Jarman looked on amused. "You're still a boy, Billy." "So am I," said Natty, taking a slice of bread and cream, "in spite of being nearly twenty-five. I'm not that till the twenty-fifth of September, you know." Frank looked up quickly, and glanced sideways at Jarman. That was the date of his own birthday, and then he, like Natty, would be twenty-five. This coincidence, taken in conjunction with the tattooing, puzzled him not a little. Jarman also looked perplexed, and asked a question. "Where were you born, Denham?" he demanded. "At Zacatecas in Mexico," prattled Natty. "No end of a place. But I went to school in New Orleans. Yes, sir--to a slap-up school. My dad said I'd have to have the best education possible, so that I could look after the money when it came." "Are you coming into a fortune?" asked Frank. "Rather--to no end of a fortune. But it's a long yarn. I'll tell it to you some night, Jarman. It's good for your books." "I shall be delighted to hear it." "I get the money after my twenty-fifth birthday," said Natty, "and then I'll buy you all presents. Billy shall have a horse." "And what will you give me?" asked Jenny. "A husband," replied Natty. "And you, Miss Starth?" "I'll have a husband also," said Mildred, frivolously, and then was sorry when she said it, recalling Natty's attentions. Jarman also was annoyed, and addressed himself to the young man. "You must first catch your hare," he said gravely. "And I suppose your guardian, Captain Berry, will have to be consulted." "No, I guess not. His control ceases when I get the dollars." "On your twenty-fifth birthday?" "_After_ my twenty-fifth birthday. I can't say how long!"