Coppy’s brow wrinkled.  He and Miss Allardyce had with great craft managed to keep their engagement secret for a fortnight.  There were urgent and imperative reasons why Major Allardyce should not know how matters stood for at least another month, and this small marplot had discovered a great deal too much.

‘I saw you,’ said Wee Willie Winkie calmly.  ’But ve sais didn’t see.  I said, “Hut jao!"’

‘Oh, you had that much sense, you young Rip,’ groaned poor Coppy, half amused and half angry.  ’And how many people may you have told about it?’

’Only me myself.  You didn’t tell when I twied to wide ve buffalo ven my pony was lame; and I fought you wouldn’t like.’

‘Winkie,’ said Coppy enthusiastically, shaking the small hand, ’you’re the best of good fellows.  Look here, you can’t understand all these things.  One of these days—­hang it, how can I make you see it!—­I’m going to marry Miss Allardyce, and then she’ll be Mrs. Coppy, as you say.  If your young mind is so scandalised at the idea of kissing big girls, go and tell your father.’

‘What will happen?’ said Wee Willie Winkie, who firmly believed that his father was omnipotent.

‘I shall get into trouble,’ said Coppy, playing his trump card with an appealing look at the holder of the ace.

‘Ven I won’t,’ said Wee Willie Winkie briefly.  ’But my faver says it’s un-man-ly to be always kissing, and I didn’t fink you’d do vat, Coppy.’

’I’m not always kissing, old chap.  It’s only now and then, and when you’re bigger you’ll do it too.  Your father meant it’s not good for little boys.’

‘Ah!’ said Wee Willie Winkie, now fully enlightened.  ’It’s like ve sputter-brush?’

‘Exactly,’ said Coppy gravely.

’But I don’t fink I’ll ever want to kiss big girls, nor no one, ’cept my muvver.  And I must vat, you know.’

There was a long pause, broken by Wee Willie Winkie.

‘Are you fond of vis big girl, Coppy?’

‘Awfully!’ said Coppy.

‘Fonder van you are of Bell or ve Butcha—­or me?’

‘It’s in a different way,’ said Coppy.  ’You see, one of these days
Miss Allardyce will belong to me, but you’ll grow up and command the
Regiment and—­all sorts of things.  It’s quite different, you see.’

‘Very well,’ said Wee Willie Winkie, rising.  ’If you’re fond of ve big girl, I won’t tell any one.  I must go now.’

Coppy rose and escorted his small guest to the door, adding—­’You’re the best of little fellows, Winkie.  I tell you what.  In thirty days from now you can tell if you like—­tell any one you like.’

Thus the secret of the Brandis-Allardyce engagement was dependent on a little child’s word.  Coppy, who knew Wee Willie Winkie’s idea of truth, was at ease, for he felt that he would not break promises.  Wee Willie Winkie betrayed a special and unusual interest in Miss Allardyce, and, slowly revolving round that embarrassed young lady, was used to regard her gravely with unwinking eye.  He was trying to discover why Coppy should have kissed her.  She was not half so nice as his own mother.  On the other hand, she was Coppy’s property, and would in time belong to him.  Therefore it behoved him to treat her with as much respect as Coppy’s big sword or shiny pistol.