Chapter I: Front Matter

THE FORBIDDEN ROOM.

OR

“MINE ANSWER WAS MY DEED.”

_See page 184_]

THE FORBIDDEN ROOM:

OR

“MINE ANSWER WAS MY DEED.”

BY

PHŒBE ALLEN.

AUTHOR OF “PLAYING AT BOTANY,” ETC., ETC.

“YOU SAID YOUR SAY.
“MINE ANSWER WAS MY DEED.”

“_Idylls of the King._”

_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY J. JELLICOE._

LONDON: WELLS GARDNER, DARTON & CO. 3 PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS.

CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAGE

I. “BOYS AND GIRLS, AND ALL SORTS” 1

II. “WHO’S WHO” 7

III. NOTES AND QUERIES 12

IV. “IN THE ROSY SUMMER WEATHER” 16

V. BOAR HUNTING 21

VI. “IN THE CUCKOO COPSE” 28

VII. COMING TO BLOWS 33

VIII. OGRES 37

IX. “QUITE ’STRORDINARY FUN” 42

X. “YOU’VE NEVER BEEN QUARRELLING” 51

XI. “TARRY THE BAKING” 55

XII. “LIVE PURE, SPEAK TRUTH, RIGHT WRONG” 63

XIII. “NO, NO, IT IS NOT JUST” 71

XIV. “A PUNITIVE EXPEDITION” 78

XV. “FIRST CATCH YOUR BIRD” 82

XVI. “A COWARD’S TRICK” 89

XVII. EXECUTING A SENTENCE 96

XVIII. “WE’RE AWFULLY SORRY NOW” 105

XIX. “THEY HAVE NOT GONE YET” 115

XX. THE KING OF MUFFS 119

XXI. “A VERY SAD LITTLE BOY” 129

XXII. “NOW THESE BE SECRET THINGS” 134

XXIII. “TOUCH YOU!” 142

XXIV. “HURRAH! HURRAH!” 149

XXV. A TRAGICAL AFTERNOON 155

XXVI. “WHATEVER WILL THE MASTER SAY?” 162

XXVII. WHAT THE MASTER DID SAY 171

XXVIII. “A PRETTY PICTURE” 179

XXIX. “WHERE’S GASTON” 187

XXX. “THE BESTEST BEST” 193

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

“DON’T YOU CALL THAT A PRETTY PICTURE?” _Frontispiece._

THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST FLY 6

SHE FOUND THEM IN HOT PURSUIT OF THE PIGS 26

“SHE SHALL BE FED UP ON SNAIL SOUP,” SAID THE OGRE 44

ANDREW FLUNG MRS. BUSSON’S BEST PATCHWORK CUSHION AT JACK’S HEAD 58

THEY WERE BIDDEN TO BRING HIM BACK TO THE FEAST 69

“OH! YOU WICKED MAN. THE POOR DARLING’S DEAD” 91

THE WHOLE PARTY ROLLING INTO THE RIVER TOGETHER 103

SHAKING HIM WITH FURY 125

“OH, I SAY, I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU!” 138

IN A MOMENT NANNY HAD DRAGGED OFF HIS JACKET 159

JOHN MADE A CLUMSY ATTEMPT TO REIN IN HIS FLYING STEED 168

THE FORBIDDEN ROOM,

OR

“MINE ANSWER WAS MY DEED.”