bitual reserve, Dr. May was never free
from a certain suspicion of ulterior motives on his part. She was
relieved at the influx of the rest of the party, including Richard; and
Aubrey wakening, was hailed with congratulations on the soundness of
his sleep, whilst she looked at Tom with a meaning smile as she saw her
father quietly feel the boy's hand and brow. The whole family were
always nursing the lad, and scolding one another for it.

Tom had put himself beside Ethel, under the shade of her urn, and she
perceived that he was ill at ease, probably uncertain whether any
confidences had been bestowed on her or Mary from the other side. There
was no hope that the topic would be avoided, for Richard began with
inquiries for Averil.

'She is working herself to death,' said Mary, sadly; 'but she says it
suits her.'

'And it does,' said the Doctor; 'she is stronger every day. There is
nothing really the matter with her.'

'Contrary blasts keep a ship upright,' said Gertrude, 'and she has them
in abundance. We found her in the midst of six people, all giving
diametrically opposite advice.'

'Dr. Spencer was really helping, and Mr. Wright was there about his own
affairs,' said Ethel, in a tone of repression.

'And Mrs. Ledwich wanted her to settle on the Ohio to assist the
runaway slaves,' continued Gertrude.

'It does not tease her as if she heard it,' said Mary.

'No,' said the Doctor, 'she moves about like one in a dream, and has no
instinct but to obey her brother.'

'Well, I am glad to be going,' said Daisy; 'it will be flat when all
the excitement is over, and we have not the fun of seeing Tom getting
rises out of Ave Ward.'

This time Tom could not repress a sudden jerk, and Ethel silenced her
sister by a hint that such references were not nice when people were in
trouble.

'By the bye,' said Aubrey, 'speaking of going away, what were you
saying while I was asleep? or was it a dream that I was looking through
Tom's microscope at a rifle bullet in the Tyrol?'

'An inspiration from Tom's brew,' said the Doctor.

'Weren't you saying anything?' said Aubrey, eagerly. 'I'm sure there
was something about duty and pleasure. Were you really talking of it?'

'Tom was, and if it is to put some substance into those long useless
legs, I don't care if you do start off.'

Aubrey flashed into a fresh being. He had just been reading a book
about the Tyrol, and Tom not caring at all where they were to go, this