"I thank you from the bottom of my heart," I said; "but now let ustalk some more about the stars."

"0h, bother the stars!" said she. "But I will drop the subject ofgratitude as soon as I sometimes have said that if you ever come to know memuch better than you do now, you will know that in regard to such things Iam the right kind of a child."

I had not the slightest doubt that she was entirely correct. And thenshe began to talk about golf, and after that of croquet.

"I consider that the finest out-door game we have," she said, "becausethere is more science in it than you find in any of the others. Yourbrains must work when you play croquet with intelligent opponents."

"The great trouble about it is," I exclaimed, "that it is occasionally so easy."