“You ought to know:  you chose it. . . .  But anyway I asked her first.”

“Thank you—­thank you both!” interposed Mrs Bosenna, leaving the question open.  “And may I bring Dinah too?  She’s almost as silly about fireworks as I am, poor woman! and life on a farm can be dull.”  She sighed, and added, “Besides, ’twould be more proper.  We mustn’t set people talking—­eh, Captain Hocken?” She appealed to him with a laugh.

“Cai won’t be here,” announced ’Bias heavily.

“Who said so?” demanded Cai.

“’Said so yourself, not twenty minutes ago. . . .  ‘Said you didn’ know how the fireworks was ever goin’ off without you, or words to that effect.  I didn’ make no comment at the time.  All I say now is, if Mrs Bosenna comes here to see fireworks, she’ll expect ’em to go off:  an’ I leave it at that.”

“They’ll go off, all right,” said Cai cheerfully, putting a curb on his temper. [But what ailed ’Bias to-night?] “I’ll get a small Sub-committee appointed this very evening.  But about takin’ a hand myself, I’ve changed my mind.”

“Indeed, Captain Hocken, I hope you’ll not desert the party,” said Mrs Bosenna prettily, and laughed again.  “Do you know that, having made so bold I’ve a mind to make bolder yet, and pretend I am entertaining you to-morrow.  It’s the only chance you give me, you two.”

She said this with her eyes on ’Bias, who started as if stung and glanced first at her, then at Cai.  But Cai observed nothing, being occupied at the moment in winding up the musical box, which had run down.

Mrs Bosenna smiled a demure smile.  She had discovered what she had come to learn; and having discovered it, she presently took her leave, with a promise to be punctual on the morrow.

When she was gone the pair sat for some time in silence. Tink, tink-tink-a-tink, tink, went the musical box on the table. . . .  At length Cai stood up.

“Time to be gettin’ along to Committee,” he said, and stepped to the doorway; but there he turned and faced about. “’Bias—­”

“Eh?”

“You don’t really think as I chose th’ other summer-house because it had a better view?”

“Has it a better view?” asked ’Bias.

“For fireworks, it seems,” said Cai sadly.  “But I reckoned—­though I hate to talk about it—­as this one looked straighter out to sea an’ by consequence ’d please ye better.  That’s why. . . .  You’re welcome to change gardens to-morrow.”

“Mrs Bosenna’s comin’ to-morrow,” grunted ’Bias, and then, after a second’s pause, swore under his breath, yet audibly.

“What’s the matter with ye, ’Bias?”

“I don’t know. . . .  Maybe ‘tis that box o’ tunes gets on my temper.  No, don’t take it away.  I didn’ mean it like that, an’ the music used to be pretty enough, first-along.”

“We’ll give it a spell,” said Cai, stooping and switching off the tune.  “I’m not musical myself; I’d as lief hear thunder, most days.  But the thing was well meant.”