'The Thorn Fortress,' said Gillian. 'It comes out of that delightful
S.P.C.K. book so called, where, in the 'Thirty Years' War,' all the
people of a village took refuge from the soldiers in a field in the
middle of a forest guarded by a tremendous hedge of thorns. Val had it
for a birthday present, and the children have been acting it ever
since.'

'It has quite put out the Desert Island passion, which used to be a
regular stage in these children's lives. Every voyage we have taken,
somebody has come to ask whether there was any hope of being wrecked on
one.'

'Fergus even asked when we crossed from Dublin,' said Gillian.

'He was put up to that, to keep up the tradition,' observed Harry.

On reaching the house, the elders proceeded to five o'clock tea in the
drawing-room, the juniors to gouter in the dining-room. As Dolores
entered, she beheld a row of all her five younger cousins drawn up
looking at her as if se had committed high treason, and she was
instantly addressed--

'Tell-take tit!' began Valetta.

'Sneak!' cried Wilfred.

'I will call her Croat!' added Fergus.

'Worse than Croat! Bashi Bazouk!' exclaimed Valetta.