bank,
measuring the distance with his eye. Then throwing himself forward with
a sudden spring, he was over the willows and over the water beyond,
landing safely on the nicely-prepared onion-bed.

"Well done!" cried Jem.

"Not at all well done," said Frank, who had only saved himself from
being overturned into the water by grasping a branch near him.

Philip only laughed, as he shook hands with Mrs Inglis and Violet.

"Take my place in the boat and have a row on the river," said he, as he
sat down on the steps near them. "I have had enough of it for awhile."

Jem was nothing loth, but he looked at his mother for permission.

"Is it quite safe, do you think?" asked she hesitating.

"Oh! quite safe. Frank understands all about it; and so does Jem, I
dare say."

"Mamma!" entreated Ned.

"And mamma!" entreated Jessie.

On the Gourlay river the boys had paddled about at their own pleasure,
and their mother was not inclined to be unreasonably anxious about them.
She knew it would be a great delight to them all to be permitted to go.

"But there is not room for all; and Mr Oswald will not care to be
troubled with so many children."

"Let them go with the boys--there is no danger, and I will wait here,"
said Philip. "Only you must promise to come back within a reasonable
time, Jem."

"All right!" said Jem. "I promise. Come along Violet. There is room
for you, and Polly too."

But Mr Philip thought there was not room for all, and Mrs Inglis would
not trust little Mary with them, so they went without them.

This was Mr Philip's first visit to the bridge house. Mrs Inglis had
seen him at church, and David had seen him a good many times at the
bank. He had been at home a week or two, and Violet had, of course,
seen him every day. David had acknowledged that he did not like him
very much, and Jem called him "a swell," and spoke contemptuously of his
fine clothes and fine manners. Violet had taken his part, and said he
was just like other people. He was very kind to his little sisters, she
said. There had been a good deal said about him in one way or another,
and Mrs Inglis regarded him with curiosity and interest. He was a
good-looking lad, with a pleasant face and manner. "Just like other
people," did not quite do him justice. Mrs Inglis could not help
thinking Jem's idea of "a swell" did not suit him certainly. He was not
"fine," on the present occasion, either in dress or manners. David had
sa