“Why who in this world can that little chap be?”

“I didn’t know there was such a tiny midshipman in the whole brigade.”

“Doesn’t he make a perfectly darling girl, though?”

“Perfectly lovable, hugable and adorable,” were the laughing comments.

In the dim light Peggy buried her head in Daddy Neil’s lap, trying to smother her laughter.

“You—­you little conspirator,” he whispered.  “I believe I’ve caught on.”

“Oh, don’t whisper it.  Don’t!” instantly begged Peggy.  “Polly would never forgive me for letting out the secret.”

“You haven’t.  I just did a little Yankee guessing, and I reckon I’m not far from the mark.”

“Hush, and listen.  Isn’t it pretty?”

It was, indeed, pretty.  The captive princess, captured because she had learned the secret of the bird language, began a little plaintive whistling call, soft, sweet, musical as a flute; the perfect notes of the hermit thrush.  This was evidently the theme to be elaborated upon and the chorus took it up, led so easily, so harmoniously and so faultlessly by the dainty little figure with its bird-like notes.  From the hermit-thrush’s note to the liquid call of the wood-thrush, the wood-peewee, the cardinal’s cheery song, the whip-poor-will’s insistent questioning, on through the gamut of cat-birds, warblers, bob-whites and a dozen others, ran the pretty chorus, with its variations, the little princess’ and her jailor birds’ dancing and whistling completing the clever theme.  When it ended the house went mad clapping, calling, shouting:  “Encore!  Encore!”

And before it could be satisfied the obliging actors had given their chorus and ballet five times, and the whistlers’ throats were dry as powder.  As they left the stage for the last time the little princess flung HERself into Mrs. Harold’s arms, gasping.

“I know my whistle is smashed, destroyed, and mined beyond repair, Aunt Janet, but oh, wasn’t it perfectly splendid to do it for the boys and hear that house applaud them.”

“Them?” cried a feathered creature coming up to give Polly a clap upon the back as he would have given a classmate.  “Them!  And where the mischief do you come in on this show-down?  There listen to that.  Do you know what it means?  It means come out there in front of that curtain and get what’s coming to you.  Come on.”

“Oh, I can’t!  I can’t!  They’d recognize me and I wouldn’t have them for worlds.  Not for worlds!  It would be perfectly awful,” and Polly shrank back abashed.

“Recognized!  Awful nothing!  You’ve got to come out.  It’s part of the performance,” and hand in hand with Happy and Wheedles the abashed little princess was led before the foot-lights to receive an ovation and enough American beauty roses to hide her in a good-sized bower.  As she started back she let fall some of her posies.  Instantly, Wheedles was upon his knees, his hand pressed to his heart, and his eyes dancing with fun, as he handed her the roses.  Shouts and renewed applause went up from the auditorium.