?

The child's next words effectually startled her out of her thoughts.

"Give us a penny!" he said.

"Oh, Harry! it's naughty to ask for pennies!"

"Give us a ha'penny then," he coaxed.

But Denys only shook her head and laughed at him, and at that moment
Gertrude and a young fellow sauntered up to her.

"We have had a lovely row!" exclaimed Gertrude gaily. "Mr. Greyburne
made the boat fly. It's such a little light thing, just made for two!
Where is Mrs. Henchman?"

"She was not feeling well enough to come out," answered Denys, "and
Audrey's school has not broken up yet."

"I'm afraid you have been dull," said Cecil Greyburne politely; "but
you are going to cycle to Brensted Woods with us this afternoon?"

"Denys ought not to be dull," said Gertrude easily. "She has letters
to write and to read, and she counts the hours till Charlie comes,
and she has to do the pretty to her future mother-in-law. You see, _I_
have not all these occupations. Denys! I am sure it is lunchtime!"

Denys rose and shook the sand from her dress.

"Mrs. Henchman wanted us all to walk to the Landslip this afternoon,"
she said. "She has ordered a donkey-chair and we shall have tea at the
Cottage. Could not you join our party, Mr. Greyburne? We can hardly
run away!"

"Oh, how horrid!" exclaimed Gertrude, "you know how I hate walking. I
shall get out of it somehow. Mr. Greyburne and I can cycle there and
join you at tea. How will that do, Mr. Greyburne?"

Cecil glanced at Denys, and his eyes passed on to Gertrude's merry,
sparkling face. She was really good fun to ride out with, and it
was turning out to be a much jollier Easter holiday than he had
anticipated. He did not exactly see why he should sacrifice himself
to walking beside a slow donkey-chair, when the prettiest girl he had
ever known invited him to a cycle ride. If she could get out of the
walk he was quite ready to second her. "I'll come up at any time
you name, and be ready for anything that is wanted of me," he said
gallantly. He felt he had handled a difficult decision very neatly.

As the two girls tidied their hair for lunch, Denys said very
earnestly,

"Gertrude! we really can't run away from Mrs. Henchman this afternoon;
it is not polite or--or--anything!"

"You can't, but I can," retorted Gertrude, "and I'm going to. You are
not going to condemn me to a slow walk when I can have a nice spin
with Cecil. I'll arrange it with Mrs. Henchman, and she'll be quite