"And me," said I.
"I have no doubt of the intention and discretion of either of you," resumed Mrs. Mayton, "but you cannot possibly be too cautious." Here a loud laugh from the shrubbery under the windows drowned Mrs. Mayton's voice for a moment, but she continued: "Servants, children,"—here she smiled, and I dropped my head—"persons you may chance to meet——"
Again the laugh broke forth under the window.
"What can those girls be laughing at?" exclaimed Alice, moving toward the window, followed by her mother and me.
Seated in a semicircle on the grass were most of the ladies boarding at Mrs. Clarkson's, and in front of them stood Toddie, in that high state of excitement to which sympathetic applause always raises him.
"Say it again," said one of the ladies.
Toddie put on an expression of profound wisdom, made violent gestures with both hands, and repeated the following, with frequent gesticulations:—
"Azh wadiant azh ze matchless woze
Zat poeck-artuss fanshy;
Azh fair azh whituss lily-blowzh;