GAN SLOWLY TO PUSH IT TOWARDS THE SQUIRREL INN."]

"Really," said the latter, elevating his eyebrows, "I heard the creaking
of those little wheels, and I--"

"Thought Miss Mayberry was making them creak," said Lodloe. "But she is
not, and you may as well postpone the lesson I suppose you want to give
her. She is at present taking lessons in botany from another professor";
and he hereupon stated in brief the facts of the desertion of the infant
Douglas. "Now what am I going to do with the little chap?" he continued;
"I must search for Mrs. Petter."

"Don't do that," said the Greek scholar, quickly; "it would look badly
for the young woman. Let me have the child; I will take care of it until
she comes. I will wheel it down to my summer-house, where it is cool and
shady."

"And an excellent spot to teach Greek," said Lodloe, laughing.

"A capital place," gaily replied Mr. Tippengray, putting his book into
his pocket, and taking hold of the handle of the little carriage, elated
by the feeling that in so doing he was also, for a time, getting a hold
upon Miss Mayberry.

[Illustration: "I WILL WHEEL IT DOWN TO MY SUMMER-HOUSE, WHERE IT IS
COOL AND SHADY."]

"Yes," he continued, "it is just the place for me; it suits me in all
sorts of ways, and I have a mind to tell you of a most capital joke
connected with it. It is too good a thing to keep to myself any longer,
and now that I know you so well, I am perfectly willing to trust you.
Would you believe it? I know the Rockmores of Germantown. I know them
very well, and hate them for a lot of prigs. But I never told Stephen
Petter. Not I. In some way or other he took it for granted that I did
not possess the valuable acquaintanceship, and I let him think so. Ha!
ha! That's the way I got the summer-house, don't you see? Ha! ha! ha!"

Lodloe laughed. "Your secret is safe with me," said he; and the two
having reached the little garden, he left the Greek scholar and went to
his room.

When Ida Mayberry had her arms full of the great yellow flowers she
suddenly appreciated the fact that she must be a long way from the baby,
and ought immediately to return to it. She thereupon hastened back
across the uneven surface of the field. When she reached the spot where
the baby had been left, no baby was there.

"My goodness!" she exclaimed, "Mr. Lodloe has taken the child away, and
there is no knowing which way he has gone."

"Oh, the youngster's all right," said Lanigan. "Sit dow