Miss Penelope knitted her brows, and looked from Mr. Barton to Theodore. She had not known before that Jack was in the habit of addressing Mr. Barton as "father," and she was surprised that Theodore, who was at her side, and apparently listening to the conversation, did not seem to resent, or even to notice it.
"Theo arranged everything so that it should be a great surprise for me," Jack continued confidentially, in his serious, old-fashioned way. "A hayfield is a lovely place, I think. Oh, what is it?"
Miss Penelope had given a little scream, and Theodore, who had been watching her with a mischievous look on his face, openly smiled.
"There is something crawling on my neck!" she cried. "Oh, Theodore, see what it is, and take it off! there's a dear boy!"
"All right; keep still, Aunt Pen. Yes, I see it. Keep still, or it will crawl down the neck of your dress, and then—"
He paused expressively, whilst Miss Penelope appealed to him again.
"Oh, be quick, dear Theodore!"
But Theodore did not hurry. He very carefully and slowly removed something from the back of Miss Penelope's neck, and stood looking at her laughingly.
"What was it?" she asked nervously.
"A beetle, a beautiful green beetle," and opening his hand, he disclosed the insect, whereupon Miss Penelope gave a little horrified shriek, and the children could not help a roar of amusement.