“A little gentleman,” repeated Miss Grizzel, “and not six years old!  That is less objectionable than I expected.  What is his name, as you know so much, Dorcas?”

“Master Phil,” replied Dorcas.  “That is what he told Miss Griselda, and she never thought to ask him more.  But I’ll tell you how we could get to hear more about him, I think, ma’am.  From what Miss Griselda says, I believe he is staying at Mr. Crouch’s farm, and that, you know, ma’am, belongs to my Lady Lavander, though it is a good way from Merrybrow Hall.  My lady is pretty sure to know about the child, for she knows all that goes on among her tenants, and I remember hearing that a little gentleman and his nurse had come to Mr. Crouch’s to lodge for six months.”

Miss Grizzel listened attentively.

“Thank you, Dorcas,” she said, when the old servant had left off speaking.  “You have behaved with your usual discretion.  I shall drive over to Merrybrow to-morrow, and make inquiry.  And you may tell Miss Griselda in the morning what I purpose doing; but tell her also that, as a punishment for her rudeness and ill-temper, she must have breakfast in her own room to-morrow, and not see me till I send for her.  Had she restrained her temper and explained the matter, all this distress might have been saved.”

Dorcas did not wait till “to-morrow morning;” she could not bear to think of Griselda’s unhappiness.  From her mistress’s room she went straight to the little girl’s, going in very softly, so as not to disturb her should she be sleeping.

“Are you awake, missie?” she said gently.

Griselda started up.

“Yes,” she exclaimed.  “Is it you, cuckoo?  I’m quite awake.”

“Bless the child,” said Dorcas to herself, “how her head does run on Miss Sybilla’s cuckoo.  It’s really wonderful.  There’s more in such things than some people think.”

But aloud she only replied—­

“It’s Dorcas, missie.  No fairy, only old Dorcas come to comfort you a bit.  Listen, missie.  Your auntie is going over to Merrybrow Hall to-morrow to inquire about this little Master Phil from my Lady Lavander, for we think it’s at one of her ladyship’s farms that he and his nurse are staying, and if she hears that he’s a nice-mannered little gentleman, and comes of good parents—­why, missie, there’s no saying but that you’ll get leave to play with him as much as you like.”

“But not to-morrow, Dorcas,” said Griselda.  “Aunt Grizzel never goes to Merrybrow till the afternoon.  She won’t be back in time for me to play with Phil to-morrow.”

“No, but next day, perhaps,” said Dorcas.

“Oh, but that won’t do,” said Griselda, beginning to cry again.  “Poor little Phil will be coming up to the wood-path to-morrow, and if he doesn’t find me, he’ll be so unhappy—­perhaps he’ll never come again if I don’t meet him to-morrow.”

Dorcas saw that the little girl was worn out and excited, and not yet inclined to take a reasonable view of things.