But Greta in a pleading voice said: "Oh! do come! Scruff likes you. It
is so dull when there is nobody for breakfast but ourselves."

Miss Naylor's mouth began to twist. Harz hurriedly broke in:

"Thank you. I will come with pleasure; you don't mind my being dirty?"

"Oh no! we do not mind; then we shall none of us wash, and afterwards I
shall show you my rabbits."

Miss Naylor, moving from foot to foot, like a bird on its perch,
exclaimed:

"I hope you won't regret it, not a very good meal--the girls are so
impulsive--such informal invitation; we shall be very glad."

But Greta pulled softly at her sister's sleeve, and Christian, gathering
her things, led the way.

Harz followed in amazement; nothing of this kind had come into his life
before. He kept shyly glancing at the girls; and, noting the speculative
innocence in Greta's eyes, he smiled. They soon came to two great
poplar-trees, which stood, like sentinels, one on either side of an
unweeded gravel walk leading through lilac bushes to a house painted
dull pink, with green-shuttered windows, and a roof of greenish slate.
Over the door in faded crimson letters were written the words, "Villa
Rubein."

"That is to the stables," said Greta, pointing down a path, where some
pigeons were sunning themselves on a wall. "Uncle Nic keeps his