than anyone to keep him right."

David seemed a little embarrassed, and began jerking his head
about when his acquaintance of the morning, whom he had scarcely
noticed before, was introduced by Miss Winter as "my cousin."

"I wish to do all I can for him," said Tom, "and I'm very glad to
have made your acquaintance. You must let me know whenever I can
help;" and he took out a card and handed it to David, who looked
at it, and then said,--

"And I be to write to you, sir, then, if Harry gets into
trouble?"

"Yes; but we must keep him out of trouble, even home-made ones,
which don't leave good marks, you know," said Tom.

"And thaay be nine out o' ten o' aal as comes to a man, sir" said
David "as I've a told Harry scores o' times."

"That seems to be your text, David," said Tom, laughing.

"Ah, and 'tis a good un too, sir. Ax Miss Winter else. 'Tis a
sight better to hev the Lord's troubles while you be about it,
for thaay as hasn't makes wus for themselves out o' nothin'.
Dwon't 'em, Miss?"

"Yes; you know that I agree with you, David."

"Good-bye, then," said Tom, holding out his hand, "and mind you
let me hear from you."

"What a queer old bird, with his whole wisdom of man packed up
small for ready use, like a quack doctor," he said, as soon as
they were out of hearing.

"Indeed, he isn't the least like a quack doctor. I don't know a
better man in the parish, though he is rather obstinate, like all
the rest of them."

"I didn't mean to say anything against him, I assure you," said
Tom; "on the contrary, I think him a fine old fellow. But I
didn't think so this morning, when he showed me the way to
Betty's cottage." The fact was that Tom saw all things and
persons with quite a different pair of eyes from those which he
had been provided with when he arrived in Englebourn that
morning. He even made allowances for old Mr. Winter, who was in
his usual querulous state at luncheon, though perhaps it would
have been difficult in the whole neighborhood to find a more
pertinent comment on, and illustration of, the constable's text
than the poor old man furnished, with his complaints about his
own health, and all he had to do and think of, for everybody
about him. It did strike Tom, however, as very wonderful how such
a character as Katie's could have grown up under the shade of,
and in constant contact with, such a one as her father's. He
wished his uncle good-bye soon after luncheon, and he and Katie
started