As he arrived he heard his prospective champion's sister
apologising to the hostess for the unavoidable absence of her
brother; a moment later he noted that the Wrotsleys HAD brought
their cousin.
Two against three would have been exciting and possibly unpleasant;
one against three promised to be about as amusing as a visit to the
dentist. Rollo ordered his carriage for as early as was decently
possible, and faced the company with a smile that he imagined the
better sort of aristocrat would have worn when mounting to the
guillotine.
"So glad you were able to come," said the elder Wrotsley heartily.
"Now, you children will like to play games, I suppose," said Mrs.
Jallatt, by way of giving things a start, and as they were too well-
bred to contradict her there only remained the question of what they
were to play at.
"I know of a good game," said the elder Wrotsley innocently. "The
fellows leave the room and think of a word; then they come back
again, and the girls have to find out what the word is."
Rollo knew the game. He would have suggested it himself if his
faction had been in the majority.
"It doesn't promise to be very exciting," sniffed the superior
Dolores Sneep as the boys filed out of the room. Rollo thought
differently. He trusted to Providence that Wrotsley had nothing
worse than knotted handkerchiefs at his disposal.
The word-choosers locked themselves in the library to ensure that
their deliberations should not be interrupted.
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