"I protest against any such proceeding," cried Geoffrey, who had been brought home by the doctor on purpose to partake of their spoil. "In fact, I rather dislike fish for breakfast," he added mendaciously. "There, that's capital. I'll sit here between these two young rosy-cheeked rogues," he cried, "and we'll have a race and see who'll eat most slices of bread and butter." Mrs Rumsey stood with the coffee-pot in one hand, looking at him aghast. "And we'll cut for ourselves," said Geoffrey, smiling. Mrs Rumsey was thawed, especially as papa fetched the loaf and butter, and placed them on the table. "There, Trethick, make yourself at home," he said; "we can't afford ceremony here." "Glad of it," said Geoffrey, making one of his little neighbours laugh. "Why, Mrs Rumsey, you ought to be proud of your children. What a jolly, healthy little lot they are." "Little?" cried Rumsey, pausing with his cup half-way to his lips. "I mean in size, not number. Miss Prissy, if you look at me so hard with those blue eyes I shall think you are counting how many bites I take." "Oh, I'm very proud of them," said Mrs Rumsey in a tone of voice that sounded like a preface to a flood of tears, "but it is a large family to care for and educate." "Yes, it is," replied Geoffrey. "Mr Rumsey tells me that you educate them entirely yourself." "Yes, quite," cried Mrs Rumsey, brightening a little. "Priscilla, say your bones." To Geoffrey's astonishment Miss Priscilla put her hands behind, and began, with her mouth full of bread and butter-- "Flanges and metacarpals, hands and feet; tibia, fibula, femur, scapular, clavicle, ulna, radius, costa--vertebra--maxillary--minimum-- Please, ma, I don't know any more;" and Miss Priscilla sat down suddenly and took another bite of her bread and butter. "Bravo!" laughed Geoffrey. "Well, young lady, I don't think I could have remembered so many." "She knows her muscles too," said Mrs Rumsey. "Yes, but we won't have them now," said the doctor, quietly. "Ah," sighed Mrs Rumsey, who felt injured, "but it is a very large family." "Yes, but they look so healthy," continued Geoffrey. "Eh, coffee not strong enough, Mrs Rumsey? It's delicious. What beautiful butter?" Mrs Rumsey seemed softened by her guest's homeliness. "I wish I was as healthy," she sighed. "So do I," said Geoffrey. "I'll be bound to say papa does not waste much medicine on them." Dr Rumsey screwed up his face a little at this, and laughed. "Dr Rumsey is very clever," said Mrs Rumsey, who--in her efforts to supply wants, cast an eye at the cradle, and see that the children behaved well before company--got into such a tangle that she besugared some cups twice, and some not at all. "I always say to him that he is throwing himself away down here." "You do, my dear, always," said the doctor uneasily. "There is so little to do," continued Mrs Rumsey, who got nothing to eat herself. "Priscilla, take your spoon in your right hand."