"No," grumpily.

"Denis, asthore, the hat's so lovely!"

He burst out laughing.

"You rank little duffer. Well, tell me why you were doing penance when I came in."

"We weren't. I merely suggested that perhaps we were. I meant because we've done nothing all day but get into Aunt Kezia's black books. First," she ticked off the items on her fingers, "we heard a band playing—"

"Oh, Denis," interposed Molly, "it was playing 'The Girl I left behind Me.'"

"So we rushed out, as surely anyone with feet would rush out to hear a band. It was at the corner and we rushed along and stood and listened—"

"And

"'By came a Flappyjack turning out her toes,

Forth she spurted anger like a garden hose.'

"Eh?"