grieving
for his wayward humours; and Bernard was thinking that Lucilla was not
half such good company as Ralph the stable-boy, or even as Miss Evans
or Stephen; and yet he had some sort of love for Lucilla, though he did
not like her company. He was, however, the first to speak.

"'Lucilla,' he said, 'do you know a lad in the parish called Noddy?'

"'Noddy?' replied Lucilla.

"'There is such a one,' said Bernard; 'Griffith knows him well, and
they say he is the oddest fellow--a sort of fool, and everybody's
laughing-stock. They will have it that I have seen him often; but if I
have, I don't know him.'

"'There may be many boys in the parish unknown to me,' answered
Lucilla.

"'I have asked Ralph about him,' said Bernard; 'but I can't get
anything out of him; he always falls a-laughing when I speak the word.'

"Lucilla felt herself more and more sad about her brother, and said to
him:

"'Really, Bernard, you are too intimate with Ralph; he may be a very
good boy, but you ought not to be so free with him as you are.'

"Bernard walked on, and made no answer.

"It was rather hard work, even for these two young people, to climb
this bank, which was, indeed, the foot of a very steep hill; at last
they came out on one side of the wood, on a very sweet field, covered
with fine grass, but nearly as steep as the path by which they had
come. The prospect from the top of this field was very lovely, for
immediately below was the deep dell in which the water flowed, and up a
little above it their father's house and garden, and beyond that the
tower of the church and the trees in the churchyard were seen; and
still farther on, hills of all shapes, near and far off, and woods, and
downs, and farmhouses. What pleased the little girl most was a road
which looked like a white thread winding away over the heights, and
passing out of sight near around hill, with a clump of firs at the top.

"'Let us sit down here under the shade of a tree,' said Lucilla; and
she sat down, whilst Bernard stretched himself by her side.

"Lucilla began to speak, after their long silence, by pointing out the
different things which they saw before them, telling the names of the
hills, and showing the farm-houses.

"'And there,' she said, 'look at that winding road and that round hill.
Beyond that hill is a common covered with gorse, where there are many
rabbits, and also many sheep. Nurse's son lives on that common: he was
papa's foster-brother.