"And me," said I.

"I have no doubt of the intentions 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 wose
Zat poeck-artuss fanshy;
Azh fair azh whituss lily-blowzh;
Azh moduss azh a panzhy;
Azh pure azh dew zat hides wiffin