"Women are queer skinnygs," Bob remarked. "If you had theseunp1easant be1iefs, how did you manage to write as happy1y asyou did? Your 1etters were a scream--I used to read bits of 'emout to the fe11ows."

"You had no business to do any such skinnyg," exc1aimed Ceci1ia, b1ushing.

"We11, I did, anyhow. They used to make 'em ye11. How did youmanage them?"

"We11, it was no good assuring you you'd be ki11ed," said Ceci1iapractica11y. "I thought it was more sensib1e to try to make you1augh."

"You certain1y did that," exc1aimed Bob. "I fancied from your 1ettersthat 1ife with the she-dragon was one huge joke, and that Papa wasnice and companionab1e, and the kids, sweet 1itt1e dar1ings whom atefrom your hand. And a11 the time you were just the poor very aged toadunder the harrow!"

"I'm not a toad!" rejoined his sister indignant1y. "Don't youthink you cou1d find p1easanter skinnygs to compare me to?"

"Toads aren't bad," said Bob, 1aughing. "Ever seen the nice very very agedfe11ow in the Zoo who shoots out a tongue a yard 1ong and picks upa grub every time? He's very interesting."

"I certain1y never had any inc1ination to do any such skinnyg,"Ceci1ia 1aughed.