'Well, as to that, you see,' retorted Hilary, 'we don't see much sense in any of it.' 'Girls can't be expected to see sense in anything,' he said sulkily. 'At all events, no one can be expected to see bravery till there's some danger,' said Hazel; 'and there isn't the least!' 'That's all you know about it; but I've something more important to do than stay here squabbling. I'm off to see what the army's up to.' And he marched off with great pomp. When he had disappeared, Hilary remarked frankly, 'Isn't he a pig?' 'I don't think it's nice to call our visitors "pigs," Hilary!' remonstrated Cecily, 'and he's not really more greedy than most boys.' 'Don't lecture, Cis. I didn't mean he was that kind of pig--I said he was a pig. And he is!' said Hilary, not over lucidly. 'I wonder what Jack and Guy can see in him. I thought that when they wrote asking him to be invited, that he'd be sure to be such a jolly boy!' 'He may be a jolly boy--at school,' was all that even the tolerant Cecily could find to urge in his favour. 'I believe,' said Hazel, 'that they're not nearly so mad about him as they were--didn't you notice about the tennis just now?' 'He bullies them--that's what it is,' explained Hilary; 'only with talking, I mean, of course, but he talks such a lot, and he will have his own way, and, if they say anything, he reminds them he's a visitor, and ought to be humoured. I wish it was any use getting Uncle Lambert to speak to him--but he's so stupid!' 'Is he, though?' said a lazy voice from behind the cedar. 'Oh, Uncle Lambkin!' cried Hilary, 'I didn't know you were there!' 'Don't apologise,' was the answer. 'I know it must be a trial to have an uncle on the verge of imbecility--but bear with me. I am at least harmless.' 'Of course we know you're really rather clever,' said Hazel, 'but you _are_ stupid about some things--you never interfere, whatever people do!' 'Don't I, really?' said their uncle, as he disposed himself on his back, and tilted his hat over his nose; 'you do surprise me! What a mistake for a man to make, who has come down for perfect quiet! Whom shall I begin to interfere with?' 'Well, you might snub that horrid Tinling boy, instead of encouraging him, as you always do!' 'Encourage him! He's got a fine flow of martial enthusiasm, and a good supply of military terms, and I listen when he gives me long accounts of thrilling engagements, when he came out uncommonly strong--and the enemy, so far as I can gather, never came out at all. I'm passive, because I can't help myself; and then he amuses me in his way--that's all.' 'Do you believe he's brave, uncle?' 'I only know that I saw him kill two wasps with his teaspoon,' was the reply. 'They don't award the Victoria Cross for it--but it's a thing I couldn't have done myself.'