“Didn’t you miss it when you took the tray down?” said Pamela, and Duke was astonished she could speak so quietly.

“No,” replied Biddy, “and then I was at fault, for sure I gathered up the things quickly, and never noticed there was but one bowl.  And they must have been both there, for you both had your breakfast.  The only thing I can think of is that some one took it out of the room after you were downstairs, master and missy,” for it never occurred to Biddy to think Duke or Pamela would have concealed it had they broken the bowl, “but I’m afeared Cook will lay it all on me.”

“Do you fink they cost much—­bowls like these?” asked Pamela.

“Not so very much perhaps, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen any quite like them in any shop.  Besides, if even I could get to Sandle’ham to see, it’s a thing I daren’t do.  It’s one of your Grandmamma’s strictest rules that if anything’s broke we’re to tell.  And I’m sure if I had broke it I would tell.”

“Perhaps Cook won’t say anything more about it,” said Duke, but Biddy shook her head.

“Not to-day perhaps.  She’s busy to-day, for two ladies and two gentlemen are coming to dinner.  But she’ll be very angry with me when she comes to send up your bread and milk to-morrow morning if so be as the bowl isn’t there.”

“Are there only two like that?” asked Pamela.

“Your Grandmamma has some others, I think, but they’re kept locked up in a cupboard in the china closet,” said Biddy dolefully.  “I’d tell my mistress myself in a minute if I had broke it, but the worst is, it will seem as if I have broke it and won’t tell, and that will make her very vexed with me.  But you must make haste to go out into the garden, master and missy.  It’s such a fine day, and if you stayed here it might wake Nurse.  She’s just fallen asleep, and the doctor said she might be better to-morrow if she got some sleep.”

“Out in the garden” to-day it was lovely, for though only April it was unusually bright and warm.  And the garden of Arbitt Lodge matched the house.  It was so quaint and neat, and yet such a very delightful garden to play in, full of queer little unexpected paths between high stiff hedges that quite hid such small people as “us,” leading to tiny bits of lawn, where one was sure to find, if not a summer-house, at least a rustic bench in a nice corner beside some old tree whose foliage made a pleasant shade.  Duke and Pamela had given names of their own to some of the seats and arbours, as they found this a great convenience for their games, especially that of paying visits.  I think their favourite bench was one placed on what they called “the hill;” that was a part of the garden banked up very high against the wall, from which you could look down on the passers-by without being seen by them, and the name of this one was “Spy Tower.”  It was a nice place on a sunny day, for the high trees made it shady, and when they had no particular game they cared to play it was always amusing to watch who passed.