l-door, and lingered a moment in the porch.

"What a lovely night!" said Mary. "How I hate going to bed!"

"It is a dreadful bore," answered Tom; "but here is the butler
waiting to shut up; we must go in."

"I wonder where papa and mama are."

"Oh, they are only seeing things put a little to rights. Let us
sit here till they come; they must pass by to get to their
rooms."

So the two sat down on some hall chairs.

"Oh dear! I wish it were all coming over again to-morrow," said
Tom, leaning back, and looking up at the ceiling. "By the way,
remember I owe you a pair of gloves; what color shall they be?"

"Any color you like. I can't bear to think of it. I felt so
dreadfully ashamed when they all came up, and your mother looked
so grave; I am sure she was very angry."

"Poor mother! she was thinking of my hat with three arrow-holes
in it."

"Well, I am very sorry, because I wanted them to like me."

"And so they will; I should like to know who can help it."

"Now, I won't have any of your nonsensical compliments. Do you
think they enjoyed the day?"

"Yes, I am sure they did. My father said he had never liked an
archery meeting so much."

"But they went away so early."

"They had a very long drive, you know. Let me see," he said,
feeling in his breast-pocket, "mother left me a note, and I have
never looked at it till now." He took a slip of paper out and
read it, and his face fell.

"What is it?" said Mary leaning forward.

"Oh, nothing; only I must go to-morrow morning."

"There, I was sure she was angry."

"No, no; it was written this morning before she came here. I can
tell by the paper."

"But she will not let you stay here a day, you see."

"I have been here a good deal, considering all things. I should
like never to go away."

"Perhaps papa might find a place for you, if you asked him. Which
should you like,--to be tutor to the boys or gamekeeper?"

"On the whole, I should prefer the tutorship at present; you take
so much interest in the boys."

"Yes, because they have no one to look after them now in the
holidays. But, when you come as tutor, I shall wash my hands of
them."

"Then I shall decline the situation."

"How are you going home to-morrow?"

"I shall ride round by Englebourn. They wish me to go round and
see Katie and Uncle Robert. You talked about riding over there
yourself this morning."

"I should like it so much. But how can we manage it? I can't ride
back again by m