"Jimmy O’Driscoll," Denis said suddenly, "you have an artful countenance. Could you make yourself scarce whenever our respected aunt appeared on the scene? James, could you remember to remember that you’re actually and bodily in Kilbrannan?" "Oh, Denis!" Sheila Pat broke in ecstatically. "Oh, I do love Patsy’s cousin!" That night Miss Kezia said, "I am thankful that your _pets_ have left my house, and I beg that you will not spend your money in that ridiculous and wicked way again!" There was a sarcastic inflexion on the word "pets." *CHAPTER XI* Denis stood upon a chair and declaimed. His audience consisted of Sheila Pat and Jim O’Driscoll. "’Literature of the Elizabethan Period.’ Pause, Sheila Pat, with an inward gaze. By the way, how d’you gaze at your innards? Then you fling back your hair," he tried ridiculously to fling back his short locks. "Meant to let them grow long for the happy occasion. Then you begin: ’The Elizabethan Period was one of grand, of glorious prolificacy in the realms of literature. What names the mere mention of the period conjures up, names that still ring, and will always ring’—ha! ha! ha!" He doubled up with sudden laughter. Jim, squatting in a chair, eyed him with the same grave attention that he had given to the opening of the speech. He was an earnest, if not a particularly appreciative, audience. Sheila Pat demanded, "What are you laughin’ at?" "I saw old Lancaster’s face suddenly. He’s dangerous. His scowl’s enough to turn the sunshine into a black frost. But he won’t back out now. He’s too jolly obstinate. You should have seen his face when Yovil told us his sister had persuaded him to make the evening a bigger affair and invite ladies too. And his ’naughty little cuss words,’ Atom! What d’you think he said about your sex too? He said: ’What meddlers women are! Why must they have their fingers in everyone’s pie?’ Why, James there would be more gallant!" Sheila Pat did not respond to his nonsense. She said sombrely, "I’m comin’ to hear you speak, Denis O’Brien." "Sorry, old girl, but the invitation’s only for Nell, you know." She shut her mouth obstinately. Denis approached Jim. "Jim, what have you got in your mouth?" The monkey, in a flutter of fear, opened his mouth and shot out a piece of india rubber, a small tube of paint, a button off the chair, and a thimble. He had a habit of putting things in his mouth and carrying them about with him. Denis had taught him already to give them up. As the thimble rolled on to the chair, Jim sprang away, up the curtains, and sat glowering down from the curtain rod. "He asked Aunt Kezia to come," Sheila Pat said. "But when he heard that—ahem—unfortunately she was engaged for that evening, he said he hoped I’d bring my sister myself,—only mentioned one sister, you see. Fact is, he’s full up—afraid his drawing-room won’t hold them all."