"And Grandmamma will ask all about how it was broken," added Duke dolefully; "and then us'll have to tell about giving Toby our bread and milk, and oh, sister, I said the bowls was _quite_ empty, to make her think _us_ had emptied them!" "I'm afraid Grandmamma will fink us is _very_ naughty," agreed Pamela; "she'll fink us don't listen to that--that speaking inside us that she was telling us about,--for it's quite true, bruvver; I felt it was quite true when she was talking. It _does_ speak. I heard it this morning when us was planning about not telling. Only I didn't listen," and the tears rolled slowly down the little girl's face. "I heard it too, sister. Yes, it's quite true," said Duke, beginning to sob. "But I can't go and tell Grandmamma now. There's such a great deal to tell; it isn't only about Toby. It's about having said the bowls was empty," and Duke's sobs redoubled. "Supposing--supposing, sister, us didn't tell Grandmamma just this time, and us would never, _never_ not listen to that speaking inside us again?" Pamela hesitated. She stood quite quite still, her eyes gazing before her, but as if seeing nothing--she seemed to be listening. "Bruvver," she said at last, "I can't tell you yet. I must fink. But I'm _almost_ sure it's speaking now. I'm almost sure it's saying us must tell." "Oh don't, don't, Pamela," cried poor Duke; "you mustn't say that. For I can't--I am sure I can't--tell Grandmamma. And you won't tell without me knowing, will you, sister?" "For sure not," replied Pamela indignantly. "Us must do it togevver like always. But there's Miss Mitten coming--I hear her. Wait till after she's gone, bruvver, and then I'll tell you what I've been finking." With this Duke was obliged to content himself. But he and Pamela took care to put away in a shelf of the toy cupboard, where they would not be seen, the remains of the broken bowl. Miss Mitten had two very quiet and subdued little pupils that morning. She noticed Duke's red eyes, but, not being on very intimate terms with the children, for she was rather a formal young person, she said nothing about them. Only when lessons were quite finished she told her pupils they might tell their Grandmamma that they had been very good and attentive. "Your good Grandmamma will be pleased to hear this," she said, "for she must be troubled about poor Nurse's being ill. I hope you will do your best to give her no trouble you can possibly avoid," and with these words Miss Mitten took her leave.