“What did I hear you say about the orderly-book?” asked Captain Richmond.
“Why, Uncle Peter, how funny of you, and what a peculiar expression your eyes have! The orderly-book is locked up in the Sheraton chiffonier; and we cannot get it from a locked drawer, can we?”
“No, unless we break the lock or find that the drawer is already open.”
“But it can’t be; mother always kept it locked, and when she gave us the key she spoke about its being locked.”
“She thought she locked it,” said Captain Richmond; “but as a matter of fact I found it open. I read the orderly-book last night.”
There was something very grave in his tone, and Kitty stopped talking and stared at him with knitted brows. Nora went calmly on pouring out tea. Augusta got very red, and as she helped herself to a piece of toast her hand trembled; while Nancy, with her wide-open, innocent dark eyes, looked full into the Captain’s face.
He did not return Nancy’s gaze.
“I hope we have all been good enough soldiers to satisfy you, Uncle Peter,” said Kitty. “You won’t tell us what you think, will you?”
“No,” he answered—“not now; prize-day comes in a month.”
“Oh, Uncle Pete, what shall we do on prize-day? We must have a gay time.”