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know；'' she explained anxiously。 ‘‘So of course
we'd want to be careful。 Bertram； Jr。； isn't quite
four； yet。''
‘‘Why； yes； of course；'' murmured Alice；
politely； stopping a pat…a…cake before it was half
baked。
The infant； as if suspecting that he was being
deprived of his lawful baby rights； began to fret
and whimper。
‘‘Poor itty sing；'' crooned Aunt Hannah； who；
having divested herself of bonnet and gloves；
came hurriedly forward with outstretched hands。
‘‘Do they just 'buse 'em？ Come here to your old
auntie； sweetems； and we'll go walkee。 I saw a
bow…wowsuch a tunnin' ickey wickey bow…
wow on the steps when I came in。 Come； we go
see ickey wickey bow…wow？''
‘‘Aunt Hannah； _please！_'' protested Billy； both
hands upraised in horror。 ‘‘_Won't_ you say ‘dog；'
and leave out that dreadful ‘ickey wickey'？
Of course he can't understand things now； really；
but we never know when he'll begin to； and we
aren't ever going to let him hear baby…talk at all；
if we can help it。 And truly； when you come to
think of it； it is absurd to expect a child to talk
sensibly and rationally on the mental diet of
‘moo…moos' and ‘choo…choos' served out to
them。 Our Professor of Metaphysics and Ideology
in our Child Study Course says that nothing
is so receptive and plastic as the Mind of a Little
Child； and that it is perfectly appalling how we
fill it with trivial absurdities that haven't even
the virtue of being accurate。 So that's why we're
trying to be so careful with Baby。 You didn't
mind my speaking； I know； Aunt Hannah。''
‘‘Oh； no； of course not； Billy；'' retorted Aunt
Hannah； a little tartly； and with a touch of sarcasm
most unlike her gentle self。 ‘‘I'm sure I
shouldn't wish to fill this infant's plastic mind
with anything so appalling as trivial inaccuracies。
May I be pardoned for suggesting； however；''
she went on as the baby's whimper threatened to
become a lusty wail； ‘‘that this young gentleman
cries as if he were sleepy and hungry？''
‘‘Yes； he is；'' admitted Billy。
‘‘Well； doesn't your system of scientific training
allow him to be given such trivial absurdities
as food and naps？'' inquired the lady； mildly。
‘‘Of course it does； Aunt Hannah；'' retorted
Billy； laughing in spite of herself。 ‘‘And it's
almost time now。 There are only a few more
minutes to wait。''
‘‘Few more minutes to wait； indeed！'' scorned
Aunt Hannah。 ‘‘I suppose the poor little fellow
might cry and cry； and you wouldn't set that
clock ahead by a teeny weeny minute！''
‘‘Certainly not；'' said the young mother；
decisively。 ‘‘My ‘Daily Guide for Mothers' says
that a time for everything and everything in its
time； is the very A B C and whole alphabet of
Right Training。 He does everything by the clock；
and to the minute；'' declared Billy； proudly。
Aunt Hannah sniffed； obviously skeptical and
rebellious。 Alice Greggory laughed。
‘‘Aunt Hannah looks as if she'd like to bring
down her clock that strikes half an hour ahead；''
she said mischievously； but Aunt Hannah did not
deign to answer this。
‘‘How long do you rock him？'' she demanded
of Billy。 ‘‘I suppose I may do that； mayn't I？''
‘‘Mercy； I don't rock him at all； Aunt
Hannah；'' exclaimed Billy。
‘‘Nor sing to him？''
‘‘Certainly not。''
‘‘But you didbefore I went away。 I
remember that you did。''
‘‘Yes； I know I did；'' admitted Billy； ‘‘and I
had an awful time； too。 Some evenings； every
single one of us； even to Uncle William； had to
try before we could get him off to sleep。 But that
was before I got my ‘Efficiency of Mother and
Child；' or my ‘Scientific Training；' and； oh； lots
of others。 You see； I didn't know a thing then；
and I loved to rock him； so I did itthough the
nurse said it wasn't good for him； but I didn't
believe _her_。 I've had an awful time changing； but
I've done it。 I just put him in his little crib； or
his carriage； and after a while he goes to sleep。
Sometimes； now； he doesn't cry hardly any。 I'm
afraid； to…day； though； he will；'' she worried。
‘‘Yes； I'm afraid he will；'' almost screamed
Aunt Hannah； in order to make herself heard
above Bertram； Jr。； who； by this time； was voicing
his opinion of matters and things in no uncertain
manner。
It was not； after all； so very long before peace
and order reigned； and； in due course； Bertram；
Jr。； in his carriage； lay fast asleep。 Then； while
Aunt Hannah went to Billy's room for a short
rest； Billy and Alice went out on to the wide
veranda which faced the wonderful expanse of sky
and sea。
‘‘Now tell me of yourself；'' commanded Billy；
almost at once。 ‘‘It's been ages since I've heard
or seen a thing of you。''
‘‘There's nothing to tell。''
‘‘Nonsense！ But there must be；'' insisted
Billy。 ‘‘You know it's months since I've seen
anything of you； hardly。''
‘‘I know。 We feel quite neglected at the
Annex；'' said Alice。
‘‘But I don't go anywhere；'' defended Billy。
‘‘I can't。 There isn't time。''
‘‘Even to bring us the extra happiness？''
smiled Alice。
A quick change came to Billy's face。 Her eyes
glowed deeply。
‘‘No； though I've had so much that ought to
have gonesuch loads and loads of extra happiness；
which I couldn't possibly use myself！
Sometimes I'm so happy； Alice； thatthat I'm
just frightened。 It doesn't seem as if anybody
ought to be so happy。''
‘‘Oh； Billy； dear；'' demurred Alice； her eyes
filling suddenly with tears。
‘‘Well； I've got the Annex。 I'm glad I've got
that for the overflow； anyway；'' resumed Billy；
trying to steady her voice。 ‘‘I've sent a whole
lot of happiness up there mentally； if I haven't
actually carried it； so I'm sure you must have
got it。 Now tell me of yourself。''
‘‘There's nothing to tell；'' insisted Alice； as
before。
‘‘You're working as hard as ever？''
‘‘Yesharder。''
‘‘New pupils？''
‘‘Yes； and some concert engagementsgood
ones； for next season。 Accompaniments； you
know。''
Billy nodded。
‘‘Yes； I've heard of you already twice； lately；
in that line； and very flatteringly； too。''
‘‘Have you？ Well； that's good。''
‘‘Hm…m。'' There was a moment's silence；
then； abruptly； Billy changed the subject。 ‘‘I
had a letter from Belle Calderwell； yesterday。''
She paused expectantly； but there was no comment。
‘‘You don't seem interested；'' she frowned；
after a minute。
Alice laughed。
‘‘Pardon me； butI don't know the Lady；
you see。 Was it a good letter？''
‘‘You know her brother。''
‘‘Very true。'' Alice's cheeks showed a deeper
color。 ‘‘Did she say anything of him？''
‘‘Yes。 She said he was coming back to Boston
next winter。''
‘‘Indeed！''
‘‘Yes。 She says that this time he declares he
really _is_ going to settle down to work；'' murmured
Billy； demurely； with a sidelong g