“I tell you she’s an inquisitive, snooping old thing,” snapped Rae. “You didn’t see her going down the walk after you’d hired her, giving her chops a sly lick of self-satisfaction every three steps. I did. And I know she was thinking, ‘I’ll show them what proper housekeeping is at Silver Bush.’”

One burning question had been…who was to be got in to help Pat for the winter? From several candidates Mrs. Bob Robinson of Silverbridge was finally chosen, as the least objectionable. Tillytuck didn’t take to her and nicknamed her Mrs. Puddleduck at sight. It was not hard to imagine why for Mrs. Robinson was very short and very plump and very waddly. The Silver Bush family could never again think of her as anything but Mrs. Puddleduck. Tillytuck’s nicknames had a habit of sticking.

To Judy, of course, Mrs. Puddleduck was nothing but a necessary evil.

“She do be more up to date than mesilf I’m not doubting”…with a toss of her gray head. “They do be saying she took that domestic short course last year. But will she be kaping our cats continted I’m asking ye?”

“They say she’s a very careful, saving woman,” said Long Alec.

“Oh, oh, careful, is it? I’m not doubting it.” Judy waxed very sarcastic. “She do be getting that from no stranger. Her grandfather did be putting a sundial in his garden and thin built a canopy over it to pertect it from the sun. Oh, oh, careful! Ye’ve said it!”

“She’ll never make such apple fritters as yours, Judy, if she took fifty short courses,” said Sid, passing his plate up for a second helping.

Then there was the matter of the passport. They had quite a time convincing Judy that she must have a photograph taken for it.

“Sure an’ wud ye want to be photygraphed if ye had a face like that, Rae, darlint,” she would demand, pointing to the kitchen mirror which never paid any one compliments. But when the picture came home Judy, in her new hat, with the crinkled crepe scarf about her throat looked so surprisingly handsome that she was delighted. She kept the passport in the drawer of the kitchen cupboard and took frequent peeps at it when nobody was about.

“Did I iver be thinking a hat cud make such a difference? I can’t be seeing but that I do be ivery bit as good-looking as Lady Medchester, and her a blue-blood aristocrat!”