"A cape is a promontory projecting from the land," suddenly declaimed Denis, and they all laughed.
"Ware noses!" exclaimed Ted, tenderly fingering his own.
"I like big noses," Sheila Pat said thoughtfully. "There's a more—sort of—understandin' look about them—for boys."
"Acushlum, what made you think of big noses just then?" he urged reproachfully.
"Let's play hide-and-seek all over the house!" exclaimed Molly. Sheila Pat slid from her chair.
"The benighted Englishman shall be seeker first!" she decreed, and with a little squeal of laughter darted from the room.
CHAPTER XXVI
"Seen any Irish pictures?" Ted's tone was labouredly casual.
They were talking about the various picture galleries they had revelled in. Nell turned a suspicious eye on him; she was beginning to know that casual tone. He had used it when he had suggested that Denis might exercise Rowena for him—"Pity to let her eat her head off in the stable, and I'm off for the day to a cousin who's passing through town on her way to Paris." He had used it too in connection with flowers and sweets, and on appearing in a dog-cart one day had observed—"Struck me—room for all—squeeze acushlum in anywhere—pity to waste it."
So now Nell responded with a "Why?"