corks,
acorns, shells, or plaited straw; and there were quite a nice
writing-table and some wonderful bookcases.

"The boys made these out of old boxes," said Rhoda. "They learn how in
their carpentry class at school, and they did them to surprise me on my
birthday. I keep all my books here. Father is giving me the poets now as
Christmas presents. I have Longfellow and Shakespeare and Wordsworth,
and I expect it will be either Cowper or Goldsmith next time. This is my
paint-box. I daren't leave it in the schoolroom for fear of the little
ones getting hold of it. Isn't it a beauty? Miss Johnson, our governess,
gave it to me as a prize for passing the Trinity College exam. in piano
and theory."

"Do you like music?" asked Lindsay.

"Yes, I think I'm rather fond of it. Miss Johnson wanted me to go in for
this exam.; she said it would be something to practise for. We had to go
to Bridgend to take it. It was rather fun, for we were the whole day in
getting there and back, and luckily I wasn't a scrap nervous. Do you
play?"

"A little," replied Lindsay. "I'm learning the violin, but I can't have
any lessons at the Manor."

"I wish you could come over and help us at one of our temperance
concerts."

"Oh, I should be much too frightened!" exclaimed Lindsay, in horror.

"You needn't mind in a little village like this," declared Rhoda. "The
people would think whatever you did was splendid. They clap at
everything, even when Ralph gives nigger songs; and he's got no voice,
and the banjo's generally out of tune, so that he's singing away in one
key and playing in another."

"I don't know whether I could promise to keep in tune," laughed Lindsay.
"Do you play at these concerts?"

"Yes, nearly always. It was a little awkward last time, because
something had gone wrong with the keys of the piano. They stuck down,
and I had to get Wilfred to sit underneath and keep poking them up as
fast as I played on them, or else half the notes wouldn't sound; and it
seemed so queer to only get part of a chord, and to miss the middle of
a run. It quite put me out. I suppose it was the damp that caused it. We
must get a tuner to come and see to it."

"Did the people applaud?"

"Yes, tremendously. I think it amused them to see Wilfred sitting
underneath. They simply roared every time he pushed up the keys. It was
as good as a comic song. It really is tiresome, though, to have a piano
like that at the school. John Crosby, the stonemason