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Miss Bunting's rolling periods, while received with the respect that was her due, rather flattened general conversation.

"I remember Miss Sparling," said Anne suddenly.

"Doctor now," said Miss Bunting. "She was given an honorary D.Litt. at Oxbridge last year. One should remember these things, both for politeness and for accuracy."

"Doctor, then," said Anne, taking the correction in good part, much to her parents' admiration. "She was living with Miss Pettinger at the High School for a bit, and the boarders said how ghastly the Pettinger was and how Miss, I mean Dr. Sparling's secretary had to make her cups of tea and find bits of food for her, because the Pettinger was so stingy. The secretary was called Miss Holly. She was rather like a plum-pudding--only very quick."

Anne was indeed coming out with a vengeance, thought her parents again. A few months ago she would have sat silent all evening, let alone talking in a quite interesting way.

"'Plum-pudding Flea,

Plum-pudding Flea,

Wherever you be,