The Terrible Twins

us and found her stretched

as he took one from the basket. "But I didn't like to

d if she hadn't," said Er

nt that their new acquaintance had s

kid," said the Te

not any use to us," said Erebus in a tone of contempt. "In fact, if we were

s to be having a rotten time with that old red baroness

coldly; then her face brightened, and she added: "I tell you what thoug

she'd take a lot of teaching. I don't think she

We can always try," s

said th

he woods farther away from the Grange; indeed, the keepers paid but little attention to it. The Twins moved out of it safely and returned home with easy minds: it did not occur to either of them that they had been tr

for spending so much of their salary for "overseering" on her. The Twins said nothing. It was only when two more peaches came up on her breakfast tray that she began to suspect that they had come by the ways of warfare and not of trade. Then, having

it who met them on their way, they kept the princess waiting twenty minutes. This was, indeed, a new experience to her; but she did no

startling, the princess found it rather pleasant to be hauled up the bank by the Terror. There was someth

e, short serge skirt and bare head and legs of Erebus and the blue linen shirt, serge knickerbockers and bare head and legs of the Terror gave them an air not only of coolness but also of a workmanlik

it was just silly to wear a hat at all when one had such thick hair as she. But she was some time ac

l of the fuss the excited baroness had made the day before about her ha

," said the Terror when she came to the end o

. I have to do as she bid

l them; and no old baroness should make you do any silly thing you don't want to. S

she looked at Erebus with envious eyes. "But when she starts makin

that to frighten me," said Er

ny when they're really red and excited," said the Terror

said the princess,

on't care what she s

er," sai

too difficult," said the

get used to shutting her up," said the Terror. "But I don't believe in cheeking h

noisy," said

rows when you're in the right about something," said the Terror. "Then she'll s

have a row," said Erebus wi

't be for the princess-she's not l

the right. I see that," said the princes

as they cudgeled their brains f

e some one to play with? It's silly being as dull as you are. W

her eyes sparkled. "It would be nice! You and Erebus could

e of things as they should be that they should go to the Grange in the immaculate morning d

hem anything at all about us. They wouldn't let us come to the Grange; and the

well as here," said the princess, who felt strongl

dn't have us at the Grange," sa

said the prince

us," said the Terror somewhat sadly. "

re ever so good to me!"

u know what they are. No; you'd much better leave it a

little while; then she sighed and said: "Well,

" said the Terror,

od thing if you were to get some muscle on you. Suppose we taught you some exercises. Yo

s?" said th

h you to climb," said the Terror with a touch of enthusiasm in his to

they had sown in her heart, she was eager to get back to the peach-garden before the baroness should awake, or at any rate before she should have satisfied herself that her charge was not in the house or about the garde

in the house," said the princess calml

ese peaches?" said the Terror,

't care for peaches much. It's the way the baroness eats them, I think

h conviction. "But if you don't want them all, may I have some for my mo

yourself and Erebus. Take them all," s

dozen will be heap

them in a large cabbage-leaf; and then the

they came by them. They assured her that they had been given to them by a friend but that the name of the donor must remain a secret. She knew that they would not lie to her; and thinking it likely that they came from eithe

n they devoted themselves to strengthening her body. They adjured her again and again to thrust off the yoke

d done it rudely. The princess, who wanted to hear Miss Lambart talk, was annoyed. They had reached dessert; and Miss Lambart was congratulating her on the improvement in her appetite since she had just made an excellent meal, and said that it must be the air of Muttle Deeping. The baroness utter

ildren to play

ss gulped down the other half of the peach, and briskly she sa

princess to speak and he

children when I drive

nod 'igh an' well-born," said

nd well-born children for me to

ess in a high voice. "Bud eed e

aid the princess firmly.

her face darkened to a yet richer crimson; and she cried in a loud blustering voice: "Bud eed ees eemb

princess, who, having taken the first s

ur Royal Highness. I say eed ees eembossible!" shouted

we were to look for them. Besides, Doctor Arbuthnot said that she ought to have children of her own age to play with," said Mis

mson was enriched with streaks of purple. "I am in ze charge of 'er

he was angry, and her mind was teeming with the instructions of her y

d-shot eyes of the raging baroness, and said i

red-p

baroness uttered a gasping grunt; she b

t whad-" she

mewhat pleased with the effect of the

'appen?" muttered th

or bids; and you were ordered to do everything what the English doctor bids," said the princess in a si

r of the princess found the grand duke of Cassel-Nassau in the wrong mood, that she w

hildren, your Royal Highness," she sa

said: "Mees Lambart will find

o try, Highness," sai

l zose childen vind myze

from the conflict, but glowing with the jo

t them soo

t the night air, she went firmly out into the garden. The next

sked him what children in the neighborhood could be invited to come to play w

e induced to play with a little girl. They're independent young people. Besides, I'm not at all sure that they would be quite the playmates for a quiet princess. It would

aid the baroness w

. He's younger and quieter but active e

born?" said the

with an impressive air that concealed well his utter

hoped for the Twins, heard that he had been chosen, she accepted hi

Wiggins; and they cheered her by reporting favorably on the qu

Indian chief and scalping you; he alw

t; it would at any rate be a change from liste

for the delectation of foreign princesses every whit as sincere as their own, but he felt the invitation to play with a little girl far more insulting than they would have done. They did their best to soo

ut I've been seeing ever such a little of you lately i

ncess led a double life. She spent the early part of the afternoon in the wood with the Twins; and from tea till the dressing-bell for dinner rang she enjoyed the society of Wiggins. She told no one of her friendship with the Twins; and Wi